Milton squanders opportunities in extra-inning defeat at Middleton

Diego Abreu picked up his third hit of the night for Middleton with one out in the bottom of the eighth, and Koeplin Look drove in Abreu’s courtesy runner with a walkoff double as the Cardinals beat Milton 4-3 in an extra inning Monday in Middleton.

The game-ending hits came against Red Hawks pitcher Jack Spielmann, who had pitched two solid innings of relief before taking the loss.

Starters Nathan Birkhimer for Milton and Tommy Wincek for Middleton deadlocked for the game’s first three innings before the Red Hawks broke through in the top of the fourth.

Charlie Kober drove in the first run after Broden Jackson stole both second and third base after a two-out walk, then Charlie Fitzke hit an RBI double on the next pitch to score Kober.

The Red Hawks added a third run in the sixth when Kober hit a sacrifice fly. That inning could’ve yielded more, starting with two walks and a single to load the bases with no outs, but Milton was unable to produce more than the sac fly.

The Cardinals took advantage in the bottom of the fourth when Abreu lined a two-run hit to center that tied the game at 3-all.

Milton also loaded the bases in the seventh with two outs (the third runner was put on intentionally) but again could not find the clutch hit.

Birkhimer’s solid start of 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts, five hits and three runs (two earned) allowed went to waste, and the Red Hawks (7-6, 4-4 Badger Large) lost their fourth game in their last five.

Their next game is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday at DeForest.

MIDDLETON 4, MILTON 3 (8)

Milton 000 201 00 — 3 5 0

Middleton 000 012 01 — 4 9 0

Leading hitters — Vogt (Mid) 2x4, Abreu (Mid) 3x4. 2B — Vande Berg (Mil), Fitzke (Mil), Tompach (Mid), Look (Mid), Vogt (Mid).

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) — Mil: Birkhimer 5 1/3-5-3-2-1-6; Spielmann L, 2-4-1-1-1-0. Mid: Wincek 5-3-3-3-4-4; Sheehan W, 3-2-0-0-2-2.