Madison, WI – The Madison Mallards (46-19) defeated the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (25-39) 18-8 on Monday night at Warner Park to get back in the win column.
It was a huge day for the Mallards offense, and they put up a crooked number in the second inning. With the game tied at one, Charlie Marion (Madison College) smoked a three-run home run to right field to give the Mallards a 4-1 lead. Then in the same inning, Jake Schaffner (North Dakota State) belted a two-run homer to extend the lead to 6-1.
Maddux Frese (Southeastern Community College) had another outstanding start on the mound for the Mallards. The right hander gave up two runs over a season high of six innings pitched.
With the Mallards lead at 8-1 in the sixth inning, Will Vierling (Louisville) crushed a two-run home run to put the Mallards offense in double digits. It was the sixth home run of the season for Vierling, who drove in four runs in the game.
The Mallards offense continued to dominate, scoring three runs in the sixth inning and five runs in the seventh inning. Schaffner, Vierling and Dawson Hokuf (Cincinnati) all had multiple hits in the game for the Mallards.
The Dock Spiders put up a late fight, scoring six runs in the final two innings. Preston Knott (Northwestern) hit two home runs, including a ninth inning grand slam, but it wasn’t enough as the Mallards won comfortably by ten runs.
Frese earned his second win on the mound this season. Townsend Stevenson (Washington University St. Louis) was charged with the loss for the Dock Spiders.
With the win, the Mallards improve to 22-9 in the second half of the season, and remain in first place in the Great Lakes West division. The Dock Spiders fall to 12-19 in the half with the loss, and sit in fifth place in the division.
The two teams will face off for the final time this season on Tuesday night in Fond du Lac. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. Madison can clinch a playoff spot with a win or a Wisconsin Rapids loss on Tuesday. The Mallards will return to Warner Park on Thursday night to face the Lakeshore Chinooks at 6:05 p.m.
