Mallards Grab Fourth Straight Win Behind Arobio, Ramirez

May 30, 2015 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Madison Mallards News Release

Madison, Wis. - Madison, Wis. - Fueled by timely hitting and more rock-solid work on the mound, Donnie Scott and the Madison Mallards pushed their unbeaten record to 4-0 Saturday night with a 4-3 victory over the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at Warner Park.

With the Ho Chunk Gaming Big Win of the Night, the Mallards retained their foothold on the top spot in the South Division while keeping pace with Waterloo (4-0) for the Northwoods League's best record.

Nick Gruener (Harvard) received his first start of the season for Madison on Saturday, allowing two runs -- none earned -- on five hits, one walk and six strikeouts across five strong frames. Matt Bower (Washington State) and Anthony Gonsolin (St. Mary's College) logged three combined innings of scoreless middle relief, eventually setting up Vince Arobio (Pacific) with an opportunity grab his first save. Arobio struck out two of the three hitters he faced in the ninth inning.

Though the Mallards managed just four hits against Rafters pitching, they were efficient with each. Jean Ramirez (Illinois State) plated his first run of the season with a double in the bottom of the third inning. Manny Ramirez Jr. (San Francisco) laced an RBI double to the right-center gap and tabbed his own run batted in, finishing with a 1-for-3 batting line and a run scored. Cameron Frost (Washington State) scored twice, including the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh.

"He was outstanding," Scott said of Gruener after the game. "He gave us five solid innings, and then Bower, Gonsolin and Arobio were electric. I was really happy with Bower -- I hadn't seen him (before tonight), and the next two guys made it look pretty easy. What's really fun when you start winning like this is when everybody's contributing. You just get little things that happen and I'm happy as can be right now."

The Mallards will return to the Duck Pond on Wednesday, June 3 against the Green Bay Bullfrogs on Joey's Song Epilepsy Awareness Night. There will be a pre-game skydiving and tandem skydive giveaway presented by Great Lakes Skydiving, with Mallards players wearing purple jerseys to be auctioned off during the game.

Madison Mallards in Action

Northwoods League Stories from May 30, 2015

• Kalamazoo Growlers Rained Out; Doubleheader Tomorrow Afternoon - Kalamazoo Growlers
• Church's Strong Start Fuels 7-4 Win - Waterloo Bucks
• Stingers Down Eau Claire to Win Second Straight - Willmar Stingers
• Kalamazoo Growlers Postponed - Kalamazoo Growlers
• Timely Offense, Radue's Sterling Start, and Lakeshore Errors Give Bullfrogs Win - Green Bay Rockers
• Gregory Shines as Rox Defeat Border Cats - St. Cloud Rox
• Jake Romano Stays Hot in Chinooks Loss - Lakeshore Chinooks
• Mallards Grab Fourth Straight Win Behind Arobio, Ramirez - Madison Mallards
• Rain Follows Honkers to Michigan - Rochester Honkers
• Tonight's Game Postponed - Kenosha Kingfish
• Appleton Native Looks to Down His Former Club - Green Bay Rockers
• 10 Pointer: Bucks over MoonDogs 10-4 - Mankato MoonDogs
• Gruener Starts as Mallards Seek Fourth-Straight Win on Saturday - Madison Mallards
• Bullfrogs to Begin First Road Series - Green Bay Rockers
• Bullfrog Pitching Dominates Prior to Postponement - Green Bay Rockers
• Rox and Bullfrogs Postponed to July 16th - St. Cloud Rox
• Drake Parker's Four Hits Not Enough In Loss - Lakeshore Chinooks

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