Mallards fall short in home opener

Montgomery Mallards 5, Webster Sox 7

The 2024 Mallard baseball season started Sunday with a good test against the Dakota-Rice-Scott (DRS) League favorite Webster Sox. A crowd showed up to enjoy the sunny afternoon, unfortunately the Mallards made too many mistakes and fell short 7-5.

The game remained scoreless through the first three innings, with Mallard starter Derek Christenson battling the young Webster pitcher toe to toe. In the top of the 4th, three Mallard errors allowed the Sox to plate four unearned runs and jump out to an early lead. Robbie Marshall took the mound for the 5th and 6th innings holding the Webster total at four, but the Mallard bats still had only mustered one Cole Pint single. Webster added two more in the top of the 7th, taking advantage of a couple more Mallard miscues, extending their lead to 6-0.

The Mallard bats finally started to heat up in the bottom of the 8th, charging back with five runs, thanks to four walks and base hits from Ryan Iverson and Tom Flicek, but Webster escaped the inning with a double play on a bases loaded line drive back to the pitcher. After the Sox added one more in the top of the 9th, the Mallards threatened to finish their comeback in the bottom of the 9th. The last attempt started with hits from Mike Flicek and Matt Smith, and the Mallards failed to get that last clutch hit, falling 7-5.

Montgomery is expected to finish in the top three of the DRS League and a Region 3C favorite to advance to the Minnesota Amateur Baseball State Tournament, hosted this August in Jordan, Belle Plaine and Green Isle.

The Mallards will attempt to get their record back to even on the road at New Prague on Sunday at 2 p.m. The next home game is on Sunday, May 5, and includes a pre-game recognition of former Mallard’s Manager Tyler Bedner and his contributions to the organization.

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