Following a tight 5-4 win on Thursday night, the Madison Mallards (9-6) hosted the Kalamazoo Growlers (6-10) once again for the series finale and fell by a final of 5-4.

The Growlers got a great start from Hayden Berg (Western Michigan). He pitched 7.1 innings giving up just one run and striking out two.

The Mallards finally got to Berg in the eighth when catcher Josh Caron (Nebraska) hit an RBI single to bring home the Mallards first run. It was Caron’s first RBI with the team.

With the Growlers on top 3-1, the Mallards had two outs in the bottom of the ninth with one runner on, and field manager Donnie Scott sent pinch hitter Alex Iadisernia (Elon) to the plate. Iadisernia, down to his last strike, hit a two-run bomb out to left to tie the game at three.

As the game went into extras, the Growlers tacked on two runs on back-to-back hits from Nolan McCarthy (Kentucky) and Devin Burkes (Kentucky).

In the bottom of the 10th the Mallards tacked on a run on an RBI single from Matt Scannell (Princeton). They then had runners at first and third with just one out, but failed to score as the Growlers won 5-4.

Adam Wheaton (Trine) picked up the win in relief. He came in with one out in the eighth and gave up the homer to Iadisernia, but stayed in the game and finished it in the tenth. Sam Vomhof (UW-Whitewater) picked up the loss for the Mallards.

This was the Growlers first win against Madison this season to complete the season series at a 3-1 advantage for the Mallards. From here on out, the Mallards will only play teams in the Great Lakes West division.

Up next for the Ducks is a home series with the Wisconsin Woodchucks. Tomorrow’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. with a Sunday day game to follow at 1:05 p.m.