DULUTH, MN- Joe Genord belted three home runs and drove in seven RBIs as the Waterloo Bucks (17-7) outlasted the Duluth Huskies (13-11) 12-7 on Friday, June 23. The victory snaps a three game losing streak.

The Bucks got on the board first via an RBI groundout to the right side of the infield by Tyler Stover in the top of the first inning. Genord started his monster night with a no doubt three run homer over the left field wall to get the Bucks off to a 4-0 start heading to the bottom of the first.

Duluth got a run back in their half but Geord in his second at-bat in the top of the fourth blasted his second homer of the night on a ball that got out in a hurry. The Bucks led 6-1 entering the fourth inning but the Huskies showed they were ready for a battle answering with three runs in the bottom of the fourth highlighted by a two-run double by Camryn Williams.

John Cable poked an RBI to right field to push the Bucks lead to 7-4 halfway home.

The Huskies stayed within striking distance all night and the momentum shifted in the top of the seventh when Duluth caught a line drive during a hit and run to turn a triple play. Immediately after the tripe play in the bottom of the seventh, Kyle Hubbuch tied the game on a solo shot to right field.

Ryan Dunne (1-1) slammed the door with the bases loaded to end the seventh inning on a huge strikeout.

Waterloo was ready to respond and who better to do it with Joe Genord on his third home run to left field putting the Bucks back ahead 8-7 in the top of the eighth. A little later in the inning with two outs,, Ian Nelson dropped an RBI double down the left field line.

Genord wanted to tack on some insurance runs in the top of the ninth as he kept it in the park but delivered a two-run double down the third base line. For good measure, Keaton Presley contributed an RBI single to left making it 12-7 Bucks and they would win by that score.

The Bucks are back at Wade Stadium tomorrow, June 24 for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch against Duluth to wrap up the two game series.

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The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 160 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bucks as your favorite team.