Fifteen innings of softball were played in Green Bay today for the two-game, seven-inning double header and the Rockers managed to come out on top in the latter after a big splash in the fourth inning that put up all five runs leading to a 5-3 victory. Game one, however, went in favor of the Mallards after the game was pushed to eight innings with Madison plating a run in the top and Green Bay failing to respond.
Game One:
A back-and-forth battle ensued in game one with Madison jumping out to a 5-1 lead after two innings, but Green Bay responded scoring four across the third and fourth the knot the game back up.
In the sixth a run was plated by both teams before a scoreless seventh pushed the shortened seven-inning game into extras.
On the mound for Green Bay was Drew Aguiar, one of the best arms for the Rockers this season holding a 1.14 ERA in 15 appearances and 31.2 innings. With Carson Hansen starting on second for the Mallards by way of the international tie breaker, Aguiar would need to work smartly to navigate the inning.
He forced shut down the first two batters he saw, but a flyout to right field advanced Hansen within 90 feet. Then the lone hit he allowed, a single through the left side by Aiden Arnett scored what would be the winning run for the Mallards, a 7-6 victory.
Game Two:
With a quick intermission before the first pitch of game two, the Rockers looked to prevent the sweep once again from Madison, but again found themselves in an early deficit. This time it was just 2-0 going into the bottom half of the fourth.
Six batters reached base in the fourth for the Rockers, three via a walk as Ty Brooks lost command. The first four batters of the inning reached and worked early to plate two of the five runs scored from Green Bay in the fourth. Two-run RBI singles from David Ballenilla and Xaige Lancaster proved to be the difference makers in the game. With insurance being added on a Eric Jeon sacrifice fly making the 2-0 deficit turn into a 5-2 lead in just a half inning.
The Mallards were held to just one more, a response in the fifth when Austin Grube found himself also losing command, but the defense for the Rockers prevailed when Max Humphrey threw out Brock Lulewicz trying to advance.
Green Bay was led in the double-header offensively by Xaige Lancaster who went 4-for-6, driving in a pair of runs and scoring three times. Selga, Eli Selga also had himself a night reaching five times in seven at bats while plating one run and scoring as well.
The final regular season game will take place in Madison Saturday, August 9th at 6:05pm while Green Bay awaits their opponent for the first round of the playoffs beginning Sunday August 10th at Capital Credit Union Park, a 5:05pm start.
