Madison, Wis. (July 1) – Field manager Donnie Scott and the Madison Mallards (0-1, 20-16) were defeated by the Kalamazoo Growlers (1-0, 9-25) by a final score of 12-8 Wednesday night at the Duck Pond. With the loss, the Mallards dropped to 0-1 to begin the second half of their 2015 regular-season schedule.
The Growlers jumped on Mallards pitching early in the affair, plating a run in the top of the first. But the Mallards responded with two in the home half of the frame courtesy of Anthony Gonsolin’s (St. Mary’s College) two-run home run, giving the Mallards a 2-1 advantage heading into the third inning.
The Mallards were unable to keep Kalamazoo’s bats at bay from the point forward, however. The Growlers lineup exploded for three runs in the second, three in the third, two in the fifth and two more between the seventh and eighth innings. Madison starter Westin Wuethrich allowed four earned runs in two innings en route to the losing decision.
Cameron Frost’s (Washington State) two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth narrowed the margin for the Mallards, and Gonsolin’s second home run of the night – this time a solo bomb – in the bottom of the sixth pulled Madison to within two runs of their South Division opponent heading to the seventh. But the Mallards were unable to capitalize with runners on base in the bottom of the ninth, leading to Kalamazoo’s 12-8 victory.
With the loss behind them, the Mallards will turn their collective attention toward Thursday’s series finale with the Growlers, scheduled for 7:05 p.m. from Warner Park. Thursday will be Dashelitos Hot Sauce Appreciation Night at the stadium, featuring Charter Communications Sandlot Night that will include a showing of Sandlot after the game. For tickets, call the Mallards ticket office at 608-246-4277 or visit www.MallardsBaseball.com for more information.
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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 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, 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 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.MallardsBaseball.com.
