Vande Berg, Bundy, Kober produce runs in sixth to rally Milton past Beaver Dam

Braylen Vande Berg, Jordan Bundy and Charlie Kober all hit run-scoring singles in the bottom of the sixth inning for Milton to overcome Beaver Dam’s sixth-inning rally and beat the Golden Beavers 7-5 in Milton on Monday.

Beaver Dam had Milton (4-2 overall, 2-1 Badger Large) on the ropes in its half of the sixth. The Beavers pushed two runs across thanks to a wild pitch and an RBI single off Red Hawks reliever Ivan Sykora.

The single put runners on first and second, then a passed ball moved those runners up a base. With first base now open, Milton intentionally walked Bryant to create a force-out opportunities at every base.

The move paid off with Sykora inducing Schave to hit into a groundball double play to third that got the Red Hawks out of the inning and limited the damage to two runs and just a 5-4 deficit.

No. 8 Tyler Zeal started Milton’s sixth-inning rally by getting hit by a pitch, then Ayden Goll drew a walk to bring the top of the order up with runners on and nobody out.

Jack Spielmann struck out before Vande Berg hit a grounder through the left side of the infield that plated Zeal to tie the game at 5-5. Bundy’s line drive to left gave the Red Hawks the lead.

Broden Jackson struck out with runners at the corners, and then Kober came up and delivered one more insurance run with a line-drive single to right.

Karson Lueck pitched the seventh for the Red Hawks and retired the first two batters he faced before giving up a walk and a single.

Beaver Dam’s tying run moved into scoring position on a passed ball, but Lueck got a ground ball hit back to him, and he recorded the putout to end the game.

Milton has now won four straight games and are scheduled to play the Golden Beavers again at 5 p.m. Thursday.

MILTON 7, BEAVER DAM 5

Beaver Dam 020 102 0 — 5 7 1

Milton 022 003 X — 7 7 2

Leading hitters — Freund (BD) 2x3, Bundy (M) 2x3, Fitzke (M) 2x3. 2B — Schave (BD), Fitzke (M). HR — Westover (BD).

Pitching (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) — BD: Bryant 2 1/3-3-4-3-3-7; Freund L, 3-3-3-3-1-5; Damon 2/3-1-0-0-0-1. M: Birkhimer 5 1/3-5-5-3-4-5; Sykora W, 2/3-1-0-0-2-0; Lueck S, 1-1-0-0-1-1.