Photo by Samantha Davis. Milroy Yankees' second baseman Jayden Remiger throws to first baseman Isaac Schmitt after fielding the ball Friday night against Bird Island in a Corn Belt League game at Yankee Field. 

MILROY — While seeing three scoreless innings to begin the game, Bird Island embarked on a five-run fourth inning to grab a lead, which ultimately was enough to withstand the Milroy Yankees’ attempted comeback in a 7-4 loss Friday night in a Corn Belt League matchup at Yankee Field.

“[Our fight] was great to see. The theme of this year has been, ‘One inning,'” pitcher Aaron Mathiowetz said. “It seems like a lot of games, we give up anywhere between five to 10 rounds in one inning, but yet we’ve always seemed to chip away. If we just continue to grow as a team and get rid of that one inning, I think we really can make a run here as the season continues.”

The game was competitive on both ends of the field throughout the night, with both teams making a string of impressive defensive plays while continuing to make contact at the plate.

Milroy recorded 16 hits with two errors, to Bird Island’s eight hits and clean slate.

“16 hits compared to the eight, our bats were really coming around. We had a lot of contributions one through nine, everyone was contributing,” Mathiowetz said. “It’s more just on the pitching side, limiting walks and limiting base runners just to keep things going.”

Milroy scored two runs in each the fourth and sixth inning, both coming off a two-run RBI from Braden Flock and Mathiowetz, respectively.

Mathiowetz pitched the first six innings for Milroy, while Isaac Schmitt went in as relief for the seventh and eighth, and Dave Schmidt threw the final inning.

Mathiowetz finished with three strikeouts, Schmitt threw two while Schmidt had one.

“It [pitching] was great. I know I haven’t really thrown more than two or three innings in a game, so it’s good to get a little bit more. Good to get Isaac some work just to stay fresh for next weekend,” Mathiowetz said. “Dave Schmidt, it’s tough to get him innings on the mound when he’s our shortstop, but there was a good opportunity to get him out there.”

Milroy’s defense kept one of the Corn Belt’s top teams quiet through the first few innings, including two line-drive catches from Jayden Remiger and Mathiowetz.

Bird Island had runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the first inning, yet Reminger, manning second base, had a quick reaction for a catch to prevent the Bulldogs from any opening-inning runs.

Mathiowetz had a similar play in the third inning with a runner on third, and caught a Bird Island hit aimed directly toward the mound.

But, the Bullfrogs continued to keep their bats swinging to break through the Yankees’ defense in the fourth with their five runs.

Bird Island scored the runs between a pair of two-run RBIs, and an RBI single to short left field to eclipse a 5-0 edge.

Flock had an immediate response for the Yankees to bring them within three, 5-2, in the bottom of the frame with his RBI single grounder to right field to score both David Schuh and Brock Schultz.

Schultz initially got on base with a line-drive single to left field, as did catcher Alex Schuh. David stepped in to courtesy run for Alex.

The Bullfrogs scored another run in the sixth before the Yankees cut its deficit to two runs with an RBI double.

Jackson Hughes and Flock each got on base with a hit and hit by pitch, respectively, when Mathiowetz stepped up to the plate and sent the ball to deep center field to score the duo, and brought Milroy within 6-4.

Bird Island scored once more in the top of the ninth with a triple, scoring on an RBI single, while the Yankees couldn’t find an answer for a walk-off in their final at-bat with a pair of strikeouts and a force out at first.

Friday was the second meeting between the two teams this season, as the Bullfrogs also took the win against the Yankees 10-0 on May 25.

Milroy (4-10) will remain at home and next host Willmar on Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. first pitch. The game was originally slated to begin at 5 p.m., but was moved up.

“[We have to] continue hitting the way we have been, while eliminating the big inning, and I think we’re going to be OK,” Mathiowetz said.