The Madison Mallards' Northwoods League playoff chances got a boost after an explosive 10-5 victory and a resilient 4-3 walk-off over the Green Bay Booyah Monday at Warner Park.
“We got a great shot,” Mallards left fielder J.T. Benson said. “We’re going all the way, rolling with it.”
The win pulled the Mallards within two games of the Great Lakes West Division leaders, the Wisconsin Woodchucks. Madison must win the division in order to make the playoffs, a feat Mallards third baseman Liam Moreno was confident his team can achieve.
“Watch out,” Moreno said. “We’re coming.”
With the nightcap tied 3-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Benson bounced a ground ball toward Booyah shortstop Spencer Weston. Weston then botched the throw to first, allowing Madison right fielder Bryant Shellenbarger to score from second for the game-winning run.
The Mallards nearly lost the handle in the fifth, surrendering their 3-2 lead when Booyah second baseman Tristin Garcia tied the game with a sac-fly into right field off reliever Kade Lancour. Lancour managed to stop the bleeding with a strikeout later in the frame before turning things over to Jared Fong.
“Gotta take a deep breath sometimes and just resettle in, swipe the mound,” Lancour said.
Fong came into a 3-3 game in the sixth and stranded the bases loaded, then mowed down the Booyah lineup in the seventh and eighth innings, only surrendering one walk.
“Jared Fong came in and threw a great pitch,” Benson said. “Luckily, happened to go to me and I could make a play behind his back.”
Benson said the Mallards will continue to give it their all in this final playoff push.
“We’re going to go out there and play as hard as we can just like we always do,” Benson said.
The Madison Mallards look to sweep the Booyah Tuesday night at Warner Park. First pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m.
