MADISON, Wis. – The Madison Mallards posted a three-run frame against the Rafters in the early innings for the second night in a row.

 

Wisconsin Rapids starter Arnad Mulamekic worked two scoreless frames before surrendering a three-spot in the bottom of the third inning. Mulamekic walked the first three batters of the inning, loading the bases for the Mallards’ designated hitter, Alex Harrell. The Rafter southpaw induced a ground ball back to the mound but elected to take the out at first base which allowed the first run of the ballgame to score.

 

Madison first baseman Blake Guerin drove in the runners in scoring position one batter later with a two-out two-run single to left field.

 

From there, the two pitching staffs battled it out for the next handful of innings.

 

Ben Gregory got the ball for Madison in the Thursday night battle and looked sharp. The right-hander tossed five scoreless frames in his second start of the summer. He allowed four hits, walked one, and struck out four in his 76 pitches thrown.

 

To keep the game at 3-0 for the middle innings, Maddox Thornton was called up for Wisconsin Rapids.

The Texas A&M – Corpus Christi product went four scoreless out of the bullpen in his second outing of the season. Thornton allowed three hits and walked two Mallard hitters in his 57 pitches tossed.

 

The Rafters evened up the score in the top of the seventh on two massive two-out swings. Kyler McIntosh collected his first knock with the team to drive in the first two runs of the frame. A base hit for the shortstop brought Tyler McClanahan and Mason Onate to make it 3-2.

 

Jack Mathey delivered an opposite-field RBI double one batter later to score McIntosh from first base to knot the contest up at three.

 

The Mallards got the one-run they needed in the home half of the eighth inning. Madison’s catcher David Whittle beat out what could have been an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play to keep the frame alive and score Liam Moreno from third base.

Jase Schueller collected the final three outs and the win on the mound for Madison in relief. The right-hander was called upon to get the Mallards out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth and struck out Miles Vandenhuevel looking.

 

Nick Perry picked up the lose for the Rafters. The third and final arm used by Wisconsin Rafters threw the eighth inning in which Madison took the lead.

 

The Rafters are back in action tomorrow night back home at Historic Witter Field. It’s the beginning of a three-game homestand and the final two games of a four-contest stretch with the Madison Mallards It’s the second firework Friday of the season for the Rafters in their first home game in June. First pitch is slated for 6:35, the game can be seen on NWL+ with Khalin Kapoor on the call, and heard on the radio home of Rafter Baseball, WFHR – 97.5 FM, 1320 AM.