MALLARDS: Fans flock to home opener
\n1:40 AM 6\/12\/03
\nChris LeBarton Wisconsin State Journal <\/p>\n
\nIt dawned quickly on Madison Mallards center fielder Josh Wettlaufer that Wednesday night’s home opener was going to be something special. <\/p>\n
It took him a little longer to play his part in it, though. <\/p>\n
Wettlaufer’s solo home run in the seventh inning set off a six-run explosion that fueled the Mallards’ come-from-behind 10-4 victory at Warner Park. <\/p>\n
Witnessing the rally was a crowd of 5,642, a league record and believed to be the largest crowd to ever watch an organized baseball game in Madison. <\/p>\n
“This was amazing,” said Wettlaufer, who plays for NAIA school St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn. “Right from the start, when they announced my name at the beginning of the game, I had shivers run down my spine.” <\/p>\n
The record crowd got all it could handle Wednesday, including its first look at recent renovations at the Duck Pond. <\/p>\n
And while fans swamped the enlarged party deck in right field, it was the ball Wettlaufer hit 340 feet onto the deck that had people talking. <\/p>\n
The homer was the Mallards’ fifth of the year and keyed their second rally in as many nights. Madison (6-3) overcame a 4-1 deficit Tuesday night in Duluth to close out a season-opening, eight-game trip. <\/p>\n
“Josh is a little spark plug. He’s a big-game guy,” first-year Mallards manager Darrell Handelsman said. <\/p>\n
“The whole night was unreal. We fed off the crowd. I’ve never seen anything like this.” <\/p>\n
The River Bats (6-3) came to town with the league’s top pitching staff, and starter Danny Campbell held the Mallards in check early – Madison had just two hits as it fell behind 4-0 after 4 innings. <\/p>\n
But Campbell unraveled in the fifth, allowing two runs on three hits and an error as the Mallards slowly came to life. <\/p>\n
The minor tremor erupted in the seventh. Wettlaufer started the outburst with his first homer of the year, Francois Larmore drove in the tying run and Doug Beck drew a walk that brought in the go-ahead run. <\/p>\n
Not to be overlooked in the effort was Mallards’ bullpen. <\/p>\n
Andy Watson (2-0) took over for starter Kyle Yates and allowed one hit and struck out five in 2 scoreless innings to earn the win. D.J. Roshone and Jon Olson also tossed scoreless innings for Madison. <\/p>\n
“Those guys held it together for us until we got going,” Handelsman said. <\/p>\n
Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch, was ebullient in his praise for the Mallards organization and the overflowing crowd. <\/p>\n
“I was impressed,” he said. “These guys are a great contributor to Madison. What they’ve done to the park shows. And with this crowd you see that our fans appreciate it.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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