After a one-night reprieve, the offensive struggles came back around to the Mallards as the Ducks returned home to face the LaCrosse Loggers in the second game of a home-and-home series. Madison lost 6-1 to fall a game behind the Loggers in the race for the second playoff spot in the Northwoods League South Division.

Should Rochester win the second half title, the team with the best overall record after the Honkers would get the second playoff spot. Rochester won the first half title. Currently, LaCrosse has the best overall record at 28-28. The loss dropped the Mallards to 27-29.

Loggers starter Rodney Brantley was sharp as he allowed just one run to the Ducks. Brantley picked up his fourth win of the season with seven innings of work. He struck out three while allowing four hits and three walks.

LaCrosse second baseman Jesse Hart was the offensive star of the game. Hart went 4-4 with four RBI. He had a double and a home run among his hits.

Hart?s homer in the third was his first of the summer and gave the Loggers all the team would need to stop the Ducks.

LaCrosse added a single run in the sixth and seventh innings and two unearned runs in the eighth.

The lone Madison run was scored in the bottom of the seventh. Ryan Bond walked to lead off the inning, moved to second on a groundout and then advanced to third on a Gary Arndt single. Tommy Lentz followed with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Bond and making the score 4-1.

Arndt had two hits for Madison, extending his hitting streak at home to nine games and his home on-base streak to 13 games.

Tom Stilson (pictured below) started the game for the Mallards. He pitched five innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, two walks and struck out three.

Fans in attendance Tuesday received the first in a series of three groups of Mallards trading cards courtesy of PDQ and Quench Gum.

Madison hosts the Wisconsin Woodchucks Wednesday night at the Duck Pond. Eryk McConnell will start for the Mallards. Fans will help celebrate Spectrum Brands 100th anniversary. Every 100th fan through the gate will get a Spectrum Brands gift package. Fans will also receive the second in a series of three Mallards trading cards from PDQ and Quench Gum. The kids won?t be left out, either, as the first 500 children age 14 and under will receive a Madison Area Credit Unions Mallards piggy bank.

For tickets, stop by Warner Park, call the Mallards at 608.246.4277 or go online to www.mallardsbaseball.com.