The Madison Mallards (25-11) topped the Lakeshore Chinooks 5-4 on Tuesday in a rain-shortened, five-inning game at Kapco Park. After the fifth inning ended, the rain started pouring down and sent the game into a delay, before ultimately getting ruled an official game per the Northwoods League rules.
With the win, the Mallards officially close the first half at 25-11, the best record in the Northwoods League. It is the second season in a row in which Madison clinched a playoff spot in the first half.
The Mallards scored the first run of the afternoon in the second inning. Andre Nnebe (Santa Clara) lined a home run over the wall in left field to begin the frame and give the Mallards a 1-0 edge.
In the third, Nnebe ripped an RBI single to right field and created a 2-0 cushion for Madison.
Austin Blazevic (SEMO) drilled an RBI double down the line in right to score another Mallard run, in the fourth. A few pitches later, EJ Ranel (Lenoir-Rhyne) picked up his 17th RBI of the summer to give the Mallards a 4-0 lead.
The Chinooks rallied back for three runs in the fifth inning and slimmed the Mallard lead to 4-3. Griffin Doersching (Northern Kentucky) knocked an RBI single to get Lakeshore on the board. Later in the inning, Doersching came in to score on a wild pitch. Then, Daryl Myers (Benedictine College) poked through an RBI single and brought the game to a 4-3 score.
Jarrett Scheelk earned the win in relief for the Mallards and is now 1-1 on the summer. Jack Pagliarini (Northwestern) took the loss for Lakeshore.
The Mallards make their first-ever trip to Kokomo, Indiana, on Wednesday to begin a two-game series against the Jackrabbits. The series opener is scheduled to start at 7:05 p.m. eastern time at Kokomo Municipal Stadium.