Madison, WI – The Madison Mallards (15-9) broke the game open with a nine-run fourth inning and backed it up with strong pitching in a 9-1 victory over the Lakeshore Chinooks (11-13) on Muskies Night at Warner Park.
The Chinooks took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Jake Altman (Northern Kentucky University). The Mallards offense was kept quiet through the first three innings by Dominic Monaco (Western Kentucky University), who struck out three and allowed just one hit the first time through the order.
The Mallards got it going in the fourth. Marcelino Alonso (Indiana State University) delivered an RBI single to tie the game at one. Then, with the bases loaded, things unraveled for the Lakeshore pitching staff. Three bases-loaded walks and a hit-by-pitch forced home four runs and gave Madison a 5-1 advantage. The first eight Mallards hitters reached base in the inning.
Madison wasn’t finished in the fourth inning. Jonah Weathers (University of Louisville) added a sacrifice fly to make it 6-1 before Cole Crafton (University of Illinois) came off the bench and launched a three-run homer, his first as a Mallard. The Mallards scored nine runs in the inning to take command.
Ckyler Tengler (Arkansas State University) continued his strong season with five solid innings on the mound for Madison. He allowed one run on four hits, struck out seven, and did not issue a walk. Tengler lowered his ERA to 2.54 with the performance.
The Mallards didn’t score again after the fourth, but their pitching staff made sure it didn’t matter. Kadin Muckley (University of Missouri) tossed two scoreless innings in relief, and Max Brunngraber (Pomona-Pitzer) added two more shutout frames as Madison closed out the 9-1 victory. Tengler earned the win on the mound for Madison, while Monaco was charged with the loss for Lakeshore.
The Mallards will face the Chinooks again on Sunday afternoon in Mequon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. Madison returns home to Warner Park on Tuesday for a doubleheader against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters beginning at 4:05 p.m.
