Kenosha, WI – The Madison Mallards (42-18) scored seven runs in the final two innings to erase an 8-3 deficit and defeat the Kenosha Kingfish (27-35) 10-8 on Wednesday night at Simmons Field.

 

The first half of the game was low-scoring, as each starting pitcher pitched well. Will Simmons (North Carolina at Chapel Hill) gave up two earned runs over five innings of work for the Mallards, while Kenosha starter Matthew Cuccias (Glendale Community College) tossed six innings and allowed just one run. 

 

The Kingfish scored two runs in the fourth inning and one in the sixth inning to take a 4-1 lead into the seventh. Madison plated two runs in the top of the seventh, but Sebastian Mueller (Quinnipiac) belted a grand slam in the home half of the inning to give Kenosha an 8-3 lead.

 

The Madison offense did not give up however, as they battled right back in the top of the eighth inning. Isaac Kim (UC Santa Barbara) and Shai Robinson (Illinois State) each had run-scoring knocks as part of a four-run frame that cut the lead to 8-7.

 

Then in the ninth inning, the Mallards tied the game on an RBI groundout from Frankie Carney (UC Irvine), and they took the lead on a Cal Fisher (Florida State) RBI double. Kim delivered some insurance with an RBI single to score Fisher and make the score 10-8, and the score would hold.

 

Eamonn Mulhern (Madison College) picked up the win in relief for the Mallards, his first of the season. Luke Lyman (West Virginia) was charged with the loss for the Kingfish. Jase Schueller (Vanguard) shut down Kenosha in the bottom of the ninth inning to pick up his fifth save of the season.

 

The Mallards improve to 18-8 in the second half, and are just a half game behind Wausau in the Great Lakes West division. The Kingfish fall to 11-15 in the second half, and find themselves in fifth place in the Great Lakes East division.

 

The Mallards head to Green Bay on Thursday night to face the Rockers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. The next home game for the Mallards at Warner Park will also come against the Rockers on Friday night at 6:35 p.m.