Madison, WI – The Wausau Woodchucks defeated the Madison Mallards 2-1 in ten innings on Monday night at Warner Park to clinch the Great Lakes West first half title. 

Shai Robinson (Illinois State) started the scoring with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning, but the Mallards were left searching for answers on offense from that point on. Adiel Melendez (Montevallo) was masterful on the mound for the Woodchucks, striking out ten hitters over 6.2 innings of work, and allowing just the one run on the Robinson home run.

Matt Augustin (Virginia) was fantastic for the Mallards in his first start of the season. Wausau got on the board in the fifth inning on a throwing error to tie the game 1-1, but Augustin tossed five innings and didn’t allow any earned runs. 

The game remained tied into extra innings as the pitching on both sides continued to dominate after the starters left the game. In the tenth inning, Max Galvin (Oklahoma State) hit an RBI single to give the Woodchucks the lead, and the Mallards were unable to equalize in the bottom half of the inning. Woodchucks reliever Jorge Decardenas (Charlotte) struck out the side in three straight innings to end the game.

Decardenas earned the win on the mound with his brilliant relief performance, as he struck out nine and didn’t give up a hit. Eli Hoyt (Madison College) tossed three innings, struck out five and didn’t give up an earned run, but took the loss for Madison. Mallards pitchers did not give up an earned run in the loss.

The Mallards face the Woodchucks on Tuesday night in Wausau to wrap up the first half of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The team will return to Warner Park on Wednesday to open the second half against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at 5:35 p.m.