
Mallards Open Second Half in the Win Column
July 4, 2023 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Madison Mallards News Release
Wisconsin Rapids, WI - Donnie Scott's Mallards began second-half play at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids on Tuesday afternoon and came away with an 8-5 win to take game one of the divisional series.
Madison gave Luke Reed the ball for his second start of the season and fell behind by a single run in the bottom of the 2nd on a run-scoring swing from Chris Conniff to open the scoring. Reed allowed just one run over four innings, striking out four. He was followed by shutout performances from Jake Hilton and Cam Clines from the 5th through 8th innings.
The Mallards offense responded in the top of the 3rd against Hayden Cody with two cuts of the bat. Ryan Sprock launched his fifth homer of the year which plated three runs giving Madison their first lead at 3-1. One pitch later, Owen Jackson clobbered his fourth longball to extend the lead to four. The 4th of July early fireworks weren't done there for Madison as Cal Fisher smoked his first collegiate home run on a line to left to push the lead to five. Then in the 7th, Owen Jackson led off the inning with his second home run of the day off of Mitchell Wittkamp to become the first Mallard since 2021 to hit multiple home runs in a single game. The offense would add two more in the 7th on an RBI double hit by Fisher and a single from Jackson Tucker.
The Witter Field crowd had been quiet since taking the early 1-0 lead until the bottom of the 9th. After Brock Blatter struck out the first batter, the Rafters offense began to click. The next six batters to the plate reached, cutting the lead down to 8-3 when Madison called on Rashad Ruff out of the bullpen. Ruff picked up the final two outs with the bases loaded to close out the afternoon matchup and give Madison a 1-0 record in the second-half.
Madison's road trip will continue tomorrow at Witter Field as they wrap up their series with Wisconsin Rapids. First pitch is slated for 6:05 P.M. CST in the series finale.
Northwoods League Stories from July 4, 2023
- Larks Go 5-3 on Long Road Trip - Bismarck Larks
- Tsengeg's Tremendous Day Gives Dock Spiders First Win of the Second Half - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Eau Claire Starts Second Half with a Win - Eau Claire Express
- Spitters Fall Flat in Game One of Second Half - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Rox Complete High-Scoring Comeback to Top Duluth 23-18 - Return Home for Game Two Against Huskies Tomorrow - St. Cloud Rox
- Fond du Lac Holds Wausau to Four Hits, Wins 4-1 - Wausau Woodchucks
- Rafters Late Surge Ends in a Defeat to Madison - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Mallards Open Second Half in the Win Column - Madison Mallards
- Lakeshore Drops Game One of the Second Half to Green Bay - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Rockford Rivets Come Back and Dominate Battle Creek in Second Game - Rockford Rivets
- Rafters Fall in First Half Finale to Dock Spiders, Finish in Second Place - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Rockers Begin Second Half Play Tuesday Afternoon against Chinooks - Green Bay Rockers
- Mac Daddies Take Food Fight Series Behind Six-Run Eighth Inning - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Growlers Win Sixth Straight Taking Down Kingfish - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Dock Spiders End First Half on High Note, Down Rafters 6-2 - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Rochester Finishes First Half with Blowout Loss - Rochester Honkers
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