Dock Spiders Manage Just One Hit

FOND DU LAC, WI – The Madison Mallards defeated the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders 4-0 on Wednesday afternoon at Warner Park in Madison off a seven-inning, one-hit performance from Madison starter Beau Nichols (Lincoln Memorial).

Nichols earned his second win of the year after he and Steven Lacey (Delta State) combined to allow one batter to reach during the game, retiring 27 of the 28 batters that they faced. Davis Rokose (0-1, Georgia) took the loss for Fond du Lac.

The win saw the Mallards improve to 21-23 overall, and to 3-5 in the second half. The loss for the Dock Spiders saw them fall to 23-20 on the year, 4-5 in the second half.

The shutout marked the first time the Dock Spiders had failed to score a run in a game since June 22, 2021 against the Mallards in a 5-0 shutout loss.

The Mallards scored all four of their runs in the first two innings off Rokose. They tallied two in the first off a bases loaded single from Payton Smith (Georgia Gwinnett). A bases loaded single from Scott Shaw (Rider) brought home the second run of the inning, but Andrew Sojka (CSUN) nailed a runner at the plate from center field to end the threat. In the second, the Mallards tallied two more off a bases loaded hit-by-pitch and a fielder’s choice.

Both pitching staffs were brilliant over the final seven innings. Reed Gallant (Rice) tied his career-high with five shutout innings before Zachary Gaudreau (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M) worked around two walks for a scoreless eighth.

The Dock Spiders tallied their lone hit of the afternoon in the seventh when Sojka beat out a slow groundball to second.

The Dock Spiders finish up their two-game road trip tomorrow night against the Lakeshore Chinooks at Kapco Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.