Pitcher Adam Mills (pictured below) returned to his 2005 form and with the help of three two-run homers, the Madison Mallards defeated the Lacrosse Loggers Sunday afternoon in Lacrosse, 10-1.
Mills picked up his first win of the season. In eight innings, Mills struck out eight, walked one and hit one. He allowed five hits and one earned run. The 2005 Northwoods League All-Star had allowed 23 hits in his last 13 innings of work. Allan Donato pitched a scoreless ninth.
The Mallards got on the board in the first inning. Jordan Comadena led off with a single and moved to second as Bobby Hubbard drew a walk. After the next two batters were retired, Randy Molina singled to right to score Comadena.
The Loggers tied the game in the second as Matt Aidem scored from second on a single by Kirk Bascu. It was all he Loggers would get.
The Mallards, which left the bases loaded in the first two innings, erupted for six runs in the third. Molina led off with a single. The next batter, Mike Rohde, homered to right to give the Mallards a 3-1 lead. The next two hitters were retired. Wayne Bond then doubled the left field line with two outs. Comadena followed with a two-run homer to straightaway center to give the Mallards a 5-1 lead. Hubbard followed with a single, chasing Lacrosse starter Adam Dominick. Dominick entered the game with a 3-0 record and a 1.11 ERA. The new pitcher, Brad Bjerke, walked the next two batters, Mitch Saum and Spencer Steedley. Molina, making his second plate appearance of the inning, singled to score Hubbard and Saum and give the Mallards a 7-1 lead. Molina was erased trying to stretch the single into a double.
Madison addd two more in the fifth. Comadena singled to lead off the inning. Hubbard then connected for his second homer of the year on a drive to right center to give Madison a 9-1 lead.
The Mallards scored one more in the seventh. Comadena led off with a double, Hubbard singled, followed by a Saum RBI single to give the Mallards the team’s tenth, and final, run.
The Mallards ten runs were a season high (previously 7) and the 17 hits bested the previous single game high of 12.
Comadena finished 4-6 with two singles, a double and a homerun. He scored four runs.
Hubbard and Molina each had three hits. Rohde and Gary Arndt added two apiece. The Mallards had 17 hits in 43 at-bats. The team also drew seven walks in improving to 14-16 on the season.
The five game road trip continues with a 7:05 p.m. game Monday at Mankato. You’ll hear the game on Madison’s Fox Sports Radio, 100.5 FM.
