With first place on the line in Friday evening?s game, a buzz could be felt throughout Warner Park. A packed Duck Pond would not be disappointed as the Mallards belted out 16 hits and scored 10 runs, topping the Waterloo Bucks 10-4. Ricky Bauer improved his record to 5-2, pitching seven innings of five hit baseball. Bauer surrendered three earned runs while striking out six batters and walking none.

Clicking on all cylinders Friday evening was the Mallard offense. The Ducks scored in five of eight innings and eight of nine batters recorded at least one hit. Ryan Rogowski, Jay Johnson, and Chad Frk each had three hits and two RBI?s for the Mallards who own the best overall record in the league at 30-17. Mallard second baseman Doug Beck and shortstop Abe Aguirre added a pair of two hit games and center-fielder Greg Thomson crossed the plate three times.

Matt Petty earned his third save of the season, entering the game during a bases loaded jam in the eighth inning. Petty recorded the final out in the eighth inning and worked a painless ninth to seal the victory.

The Mallards take on the Wisconsin Woodchucks in the first of a two-game series tomorrow evening at 7:05 PM. The Mallards organization suggests purchasing tickets for remaining home games ahead of time either online at www.mallardsbaseball.com, or at our office located at Warner Park.