Mequon, WI – The Chinooks not only beat the heat during a hot mid-June night, but they beat the Madison Mallards with a final score of 16-14 on Monday after a major comeback. 

The Chinooks (6-9) started hot as they took 3-0 lead in the first inning on a three-run homer from Stephen Hrustich but it wasn’t long after until the Mallards (8-7) doubled what the Chinooks scored in just one inning. The Mallards combined a total of six runs on five hits in the third inning to take a 6-3 lead. 

“Second day out here and the vibes are great.  The guys are all awesome and everyone is really funny, so I am happy to be back after last year”, said Hrustich. “It feels good to be hitting again…I’ve just been taking some time off and hitting off a machine but it’s a little different then hitting in the game, but it feels good to be back.”

Garret Martin had a day at the plate for the Chinooks in his debut as he brought the Chinooks within one run and brought them back in range after the Mallards took the momentum. An RBI single by Martin brought in two runs making the score 6-5. 

The Chinooks trailed 9-5 in the fourth and slowly picked away at the Mallard’s lead. The Chinooks worked as well as the Mallards as one would score, the other would follow.   

“…..Any of our losses really just come from a big inning that we have given up so we really just got to control… we got to avoid letting a big number happen in an inning,” said Field Manager Travis Akre. “If we control that and minimize our mistakes that should carry into some wins.” 

Another Chinook making his debut was Matthias Hass bringing the Chinooks within two off an RBI bringing not one but two runs. The Chinooks scored two runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth and left the bases loaded. 

The Mallards added a run to their lead making it a 10-7 ball game in the top of the sixth inning. 

The Chinooks started to chip back at the Mallards lead as Michael Seegers hit a line drive through the left side to bring in a run and an infield single by Caden Kaiser brought in another run to make it a one run ball game once again. 

The Mallards put one more on the board off a wild pitch in the top of the seventh to make it an 11-9 ball game. 

Jackson Reid (1-0, 4.32 ERA) came into pitch for the Chinooks in the seventh inning getting the win. Reid racked up two strikeouts allowing three runs on three hits.

The extra run the Mallards put on wouldn’t end up affecting the Chinooks as Peyton Sanderson shot a line drive to the back corner of right field scoring three runs to take the lead 12-11. 

In their next at bat in the top of the eighth inning, the Mallards were sat down in order. 

Martin set one long over the left field fence for a grand slam giving the Chinooks a 16-11 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

“I love it, I love the guys, the cool park and I’ve only been here for a couple hours but I love it,” said Martin. “I haven’t seen pitching in a while so I was trying to get in there and get comfortable and get my singing off and trust what I’ve been doing lately hitting wise.”

The Mallards tried to send the Chinooks to bat one more time as they gained two base runners and brought them around to the plate on a Dayne Leonard triple, clearing the bases in the top of the ninth to make the score 16-13 with no outs. The Mallards scored just one more run in the top of the ninth before the Chinooks took the first two outs down in a 6-3 double play and sent the last out swinging for a final score of 16-14. 

The Chinooks and the Mallards will be back at it with Madison on Tuesday for game two of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.