Every season, a baseball team will go through the inevitable. They will just go cold in either the pitching, hitting or defense department of a baseball game. Over the last few games, the Mallards have definitely gone cold with the bats.
In losing 5-1 to the Alexandria Beetles on Saturday night at Warner Park, the Mallards mustered up seven hits. That however produced only one run, and in their last three games, all losses, they have scored only four runs.
Mallard starter Cody Hall pitched well but ran into problems in the sixth. He opened the inning by giving up back to back singles to Gino Lollio and Justin Nelson. He was then victimized by an error by Mallard third baseman Matt Bose to load the bases.
With the bases loaded and nobody out, Hall then gave up a two run double to Rob O’Hare to make the score 2-0. O’Hare then came around to score on a groundout by Grant Zumerly to make it 3-0. Hall then escaped further damage until the eighth.
Zumerly came through again, this time with an RBI single to score Sean Murray to make it 4-0. The Mallards finally scored their first run in the bottom of the inning.
With two out, pinch hitter Erik Johnson doubled and was brought home on a Dominic Ramos single to pull within three. Kyle Anson ended the threat however by grounding out to the pitcher.
The Beetles tacked on one more in the ninth off Mallard reliever Josh Hansen. Jaime Kissner singled and scored on a Daniel Moeny sacrifice fly to tally the final result at 5-1.
Hall pitched a decent game. In 7 1/3 innings, he allowed four runs, though only three earned, on eight hits while walking four batters and striking out two. He also allowed two wild pitchesHansen gave up an earned run in his 1 2/3 innings of work.
The Mallards star on offense was Madison Edwards, who was 2-3 in the game. They could muster up little more on offense in falling to 6-10 on the season.
The Mallards were also hurt by two errors in the field. In their current season high three game losing streak, they have committed eight errors.
The Mallards try to salvage a split in this short, two game homestand with Alexandria on Sunday night. Game time is set for 6:05pm.