Wausau, WI – July 4, 2008. The South Division first-half champion Mallards dropped the opening game of the second half to the Wisconsin Woodchucks 8-7 in 10 innings. The Mallards makeshift lineup and pitching staff hung with the Woodchucks and came back from deficits of 6-3 and 7-6 to tie the game and take the Woodchucks to extra innings for the third time in three meetings this season. Rob Curry earned the win for the Woodchucks in five innings of relief work in which he struck out nine Mallards, and Travis High (NC State) moved from the field to the mound for the bottom of the 10th and absorbed the loss.

The Mallards received contributions on offense from unexpected places tonight, as newcomer Trent Soares (Fresno State) had two hits, a run scored and an RBI. Pitchers Scott Heitshusen (Kansas) and Brandon Johnson (Western Carolina) also had two hits, with Heitshusen adding three RBIs and Johnson scoring a run. Woodchucks designated hitter Matt Gantner went 2-for-5 with four RBIs to lead the Wisconsin offense.

Joe Yermal (Charlotte) made his fifth start of the season for the Mallards and allowed six runs in the first two innings as the Woodchucks jumped out to a 6-3 lead after two. The Mallards got a run in the top of the third off Wisconsin starter Robert Young to close the deficit to 6-4 and two more in the fifth off Andrew Longoria to tie the game after four-and-a-half. Heitshusen, playing first base tonight, reached base to start the inning and scored on a double by High. Matt Jansen (Purdue) grounded out to first, moving High to third with one out in front of Kyle Heim’s (Iowa) groundout to short that scored him to cut the Woodchucks lead to 6-5. The Mallards would move across one more run to tie the game heading into the bottom of the fifth.

Yermal settled down and retired the final seven Woodchucks he faced before giving way to Luke Stewart (UAB), who came on to pitch the bottom of the fifth and allowed one run. Rob Curry took the mound for the Woodchucks in the top of the sixth with a 7-6 lead intact and would pitch the remainder of the game with little fanfare until the top of the ninth, when the Mallards would plate the tying run on Heitshusen’s third RBI of the night, a double down the left field line that scored Josh Groves (UW-Milwaukee).

Kyle Rutter (NC State), making his Mallards debut, went out to the mound in the bottom of the ninth for his second inning of work and put runners on first and third before working out of the jam with the game still tied. In the top of the tenth Curry retired the Mallards in order, and in the bottom half of the inning the Woodchucks scored the winning run off the right-hander High. Kyle Bubak walked to start the inning and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kyle Wilson. Carson Vitale pinch hit and singled to put runners on first and second with one out. The top of the order and Chris Wade came to the plate, and the right-hander from Kentucky singled between short and third to bring in Bubak and give the Woodchucks the victory.

The two teams will conclude the series tomorrow night at 6:35, before the Mallards enjoy a day off on Sunday. They will then wrap up the road trip with two games in Duluth and two more in Alexandria, before returning to the “Duck Pond” on Friday, July 11 for another showdown with the Woodchucks.

The Mallards will be hosting the 2008 Northwoods League All-Star Game on July 13th and July 14th. The Homerun Derby, the Military All-Stars vs. Home Talent League All-Stars Game, and the All-Star Fan Fest will take place on the 13th, while the Northwoods League All-Star Game will take place at 7:05 pm on July 14th. Great seats are still available and can be purchased either online at mallardsbaseball.com or by calling the ticket office at (608) 246-4277.