Doggy Paddlers’ GM discusses playoffs, first year on job

Published 2:24 pm Wednesday, July 29, 2026

QUINCY — As the Doggy Paddlers’ regular season winds down this week, all eyes are on their Sunday Prospect League playoff game.

While details about who the Doggy Paddlers will play are still to be announced, everything else is in place on what has been an exciting season for the local team.

The Quincy Prospect League team clinched a home playoff game at the conclusion of the first half of the regular season by virtue of winning the Northwest Division of the Western Conference for the initial half of the summer baseball season.

It could be as late as Saturday before the Doggy Paddlers know who their opponent is, which is dependent on teams wrapping up their regular season.
No matter who the opponent is, the Doggy Paddlers’ first-year general manager noted several key things fans of the team should know ahead of Sunday’s game.

Come loud and ready to cheer us on,” Mackenzie Schissel, Doggy Paddlers’ GM, told The Herald-Whing.

Admission will be $10 for general admission tickets and $8 for seniors/military; children under 10 years old will remain free with a paying adult (up to two kids per paying adult).

She noted that “fans will also not the able to use flex tickets for this game, so they will need to use them before then.”

The Doggy Paddlers have regular season home games scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday this week. Gates for those games open at 5 p.m., with the first pitch for each contest set for 6:30 p.m.

For Sunday’s playoff contest, the general manager noted that gates will open at 5 p.m. and the first pitch is at 6:30 p.m., which is different than how the team’s regular season Sundays have been.

“Blake Gardner and the Farmers will be doing a pre-game concert beginning at 5:15 p.m. before the game starts. We are excited to have everyone there,” she said.

With the playoffs approaching, it provides an opportunity to take a look at how the team has cemented itself into the community in its second year as the Doggy Paddlers.

Following the inaugural year, I have been pleased with the support in year two,” Schissel said, adding, though, that “I think it will take a while for some people to be fully bought in, but I think we’ve turned a corner. We have fans who return every week for games, and we have new faces coming to the stadium for the very first time. My biggest hope is that everyone who comes through has a good experience and decides to come back for another game.”

As for the highlights of this season beyond what the team has accomplished on the baseball diamond, the general manager pointed to a few events that stand out to her.

“It is a close tie between the drone show and Joey Chestnut,” she said. “These are two items that Quincy had never seen before. The drone show was very unique and gave fans something a little different than fireworks. The Joey Chestnut appearance was a once in a lifetime experience for a lot of people in Quincy. There was so much excitement leading up to this event and tying in some local restaurants for the eating competition allowed their fan base to come to QU Stadium as well. We are working on fun, comparable promotions for next season.”

As for Schissel’s first season as general manager, she discussed both what she loves about the role and what she has learned in what has been an exciting year for her and the team.

“The greatest part about this role is being able to connect with the community. Sports bring everyone together and it is a cool feeling to have a direct impact on the fan experience at the ballpark,” she said.

While there is a learning curve associated with any new job, Schissel acknowledged some things that she didn’t expect at the start of her tenure with the team but are things that she learned and accomplished along the way.

“I didn’t expect to have to know so much about things I know nothing about. For example – running a concession, managing a bar, hiring seasonal staff. But you learn as you go and sometimes, you just have to fake it until you make it,” she said.