Madison, WI – July 11, 2014. The Madison Mallards (6-5, 24-20) fell in their return home from a five game road trip tonight against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (5-4, 17-27), losing by a score of 6-5.
The Rafters got off to a hot start, scoring two runs in the first and three runs in the second inning off Mallards starter Sterling Sharp (Eastern Michigan). Sharp went 2.2 innings, giving up five runs on three hits in the loss.
First baseman Pete Alonso (Florida) hit a 387 foot bomb to record his eighth home run of the year and bring the score to 5-2 in the bottom of the third. He led the Mallards with three hits, and added an RBI single in the first to score left fielder Alex Bacon (North Florida).
Rafters starter Nick Blackburn (University of Illinois) tossed five innings, allowing five runs on five hits, walking six while striking out four in the win.
The Mallards brought their deficit to one run after scoring one in the fourth and adding two on an Austin Barr (Stanford) two run homer in the bottom of the sixth. Barr was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
After Barr’s home run, the Mallards were held to one hit in the last three innings of play.
Rafters reliever Derek Kawlewski (Rhode Island) ended the Mallards hopes of a comeback, retiring three of the four batters he faced in the ninth to earn his first save of the year.
The Mallards stay at the “Duck Pond” tomorrow to face the Rafters at 6:05 pm. Saturday night will feature a TDS Thundersticks Giveaway.
Mallards single game tickets are on-sale now. To purchase tickets, log on to MallardsBaseball.com, call 608-246-4277, or stop by the Mallards ticket office.
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The Madison Mallards are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live the Northwoods League YouTube channel. For more information, visit MallardsBaseball.com.
