WATERLOO, Iowa — The La Crosse Loggers scored seven runs in the last three innings to open the Northwoods League baseball season with a 10-8 victory over the Waterloo Bucks on Tuesday.
La Crosse scored four runs on three hits in the top of the ninth, and Mason McMahon recorded the final out with the bases loaded to earn a save and secure a win for relief pitcher Grant Judkins.
Right fielder Shane McGuire was 3-for-4, and Jordan Holladay drove in three runs for La Crosse (1-0), which trailed 8-3 before scoring twice in the top of the seventh inning.
Catcher Ramon Padilla singled and drove in the two runs that tied the score with one out in the ninth. Zion Pettigrew and Holladay drove in the last two to give Judkins a lead heading to the ninth.
Five of the Loggers’ 14 hits were doubles, and six players drove in at least one run. Judkins started the game as the team’s designated hitter and drove in one of those runs.
Peter Hamot was La Crosse’s starting pitcher, and he allowed three earned runs on eight hits over 3⅔ innings. Judkins struck out four and allowed two runs on six hits over his 3⅔ innings.
The Loggers needed one hit and one error to piece together the two seventh-inning runs they used to get back in the game. Third baseman Brett Essau and shortstop Bryce Blaum brought those runs home by walking with the bases loaded.
The same two teams will get together again on Wednesday night as the series moves to Copeland Park & Events Center with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
