Waterloo native Zach Fricke (Iowa) smashed a three-run home run for his first hit as the Bucks dropped their sixth straight game.

Box Score

By: Matt Gruemmer, Waterloo Bucks

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – After being dominated by Reese Gregory (St. Cloud St.) for 6 2/3 innings, the Waterloo Bucks’ (29-34/11-16) offense sprung awake to rally for six runs in the final two frames in a 10-7 loss against the St. Cloud Rox (40-22/21-7) Thursday night at Joe Faber Field. Zach Fricke (Iowa) started the offensive surge in the eighth when he registered his first hit wearing a Waterloo uniform in a pinch-hit at-bat, a towering three-run home run over the right field wall.

The second-half leading Rox utilized early scoring to hold off Waterloo’s three-run rally in the ninth to hand the Bucks their sixth consecutive losing decision, the longest streak of the season. Matthew James (Illinois) was dominant on the mound and in the box for the Bucks, collecting four strikeouts over two scoreless innings of relief while contributing one hit and an RBI in five at-bats.

St. Cloud jumped to an early lead in the top of the first with two lead-off walks at home. Brett Pope (Western Carolina) received the first base on balls and scored the opening-inning run on an RBI-single to left from Liam Bedford (Doane) for the 1-0 lead.

Taylor Lane (Florida) singled to start the second for the Bucks and was brought in when James sent a single into left field that was fielded as an error. After Waterloo tied the game, 1-1, the Rox utilized nine unanswered runs over four consecutive innings to take a 10-1 lead.

Brian Polowy (1-2) (North Central) ended his start through four complete innings of six-run ball. The right-hander was charged with only three earned runs on five hits along with a trio of walks and four strikeouts.

Nick Newman (St. Cloud St.) took his collegiate home turf to open the fifth and was rattled for the four remaining runs, one earned, on four hits in one inning of work. Webb Bobo (Southeastern Louisiana) opened the fifth with a single for the Rox and, following a pass ball that got him to second, scored to make it a 7-1 advantage on Michael Strem’s (Boston College) base-hit single.

The Rox sent across on unearned run and loaded the bases on back-to-back errors in the bottom of the sixth before Andrew Davis (Barton) entered for Waterloo out of the bullpen to clean up the mess. Barton walked one batter before recording the final two putouts in the frame as the Bucks faced a nine-run deficit heading to the seventh.

With no offensive support in the top of the inning, James moved from right field and toed the hill for the Bucks to strike out the side looking in the bottom of the seventh. The right-hander went the rest of the way on the mound, surrendering no runs on one hit and one base on balls.

Waterloo was given two free bases to open the eighth as Zach McKinstry (Central Michigan) was hit by a pitch and Tim Millard (Dallas Baptist) received a ground ball error to shortstop before Zach Frike (Iowa) came to the plate as a pinch-hitter for Jonah Bride (Neosho County CC). Then, in his fifth at-bat of 2015, Fricke delivered a two-out, three-run home run over the right field wall off St. Cloud reliever Jesse Anderson (Indian Hills CC) to dent the score, 10-4.

The Bucks rallied for three quick scores in the ninth, but could not complete the comeback on the road in a 10-7 final. Tyler Selesky (Florida Gulf Coast) reached on an error at shortstop to open the inning and scored to open the attempt on a single from Lane. Millard drove in Kelly with an RBI-single while a James fielder’s choice grounder to second base drove in Lane for the last run of the evening.

Waterloo continues the road trip with the series-finale with the Rox at Joe Faber Field Friday at 7:05 PM (CST). Then, the team opens its final two-game series of the year with the Blue Anchors in Alexandria for games on August 1 and 2.

The Bucks return home Monday, August 3 with a 7:05 PM (CST) battle with the Thunder Bay Border Cats. It will be the final Buck Monday home game where fans get regular hot dogs for just $1.50, plus 10 oz. draft beer, 12 oz. sodas, small popcorn, and ice cream sandwiches are just $1 each! Sponsored by K98.5.

Tickets are available at waterloobucks.com. You can also visit the Bucks Ticket Office at Riverfront Stadium or call (319)-232-5633.

Bucks’ games are broadcast live on waterloobucks.com.

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The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22^nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.  For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com.