LA CROSSE, WI – With both teams tied for first place in the Great Plains East Division entering Sunday night, something had to give as the Bucks took on the Loggers to finish the weekend two-game set.
The Loggers struck first in the bottom of the first with a Justin DeCriscio sacrifice fly. Scoring for both teams picked up in the third. For the Bucks, Christian Smith would lead off the inning with a solo homer. Will Marcy would double, steal third, and run home on a throwing error before a bases-loaded walk and an Elliot Good sacrifice fly would make the score 4-1 Bucks after the top of the third. In the bottom half, DeCriscio would single to bring one in before Troy LaNeve got into one with two men on. LaNeve’s deep shot to right field was a no-doubter off the bat. After the three-run home run, the score was 5-4 in favor of the Loggers.
The Bucks would tie the game in the fourth with a bases-loaded walk to make the score 5-5. In the bottom of the fifth, the Loggers responded in a big way. After a single and two walks, Aidan Sweat hit a single to right field to drive in two. Ty Chapman would hit toward right field as well, bringing in another two runs. With Loggers on first and third, Mic Paul stole second allowing Jackson Cobb to sprint home. It looked like the throw home had beaten Cobb, but he did a swim move to avoid the tag and was called safe. After five, the Loggers led 10-5. The Lumbermen added to their lead in the sixth as Troy LaNeve hit his second home run of the night with a two-run blast to left field. With that homer, LaNeve had tied the Logger franchise record for home runs in a game and put himself tied for second for RBI in a game with six. The score after six was 12-5.
The Bucks were not going to go down quietly. They were not going to leave La Crosse without leaving everything on the field. In the top of the seventh, with two Bucks on, Elliot Good hit a double to right field to score one. Greg Nichols then drove in one on a 4-3 putout. After two walks loaded the bases, two more walks would bring in two runs, bringing Waterloo within three. In the top of the eighth, Cole Hill collected an RBI for himself with a triple. Hill was then driven in by the next batter, Elliot Good. After eight, the score was an uncomfortable 12-11.
Tony Pluta was given the keys to the ninth. He struck out the first batter he faced with a nasty changeup. After allowing a single, Pluta would strike out another before inducing a high fly ball that was caught cleanly by the catcher, Dylan King. Cheers erupted from the stands at Copeland Park as the Loggers had won their sixth game in a row. With their win over Waterloo, the Loggers improve to 11-1 and take sole possession of first place in the Great Plains East Division. With the loss, the Bucks fall to 11-3, one game out of first in the division. The Loggers have an off-day on Monday before heading to Duluth to take on the Huskies for a two-game set.
