The Honker offense was able to generate eight runs for a third time in five games, but could not hold off a Waterloo surge in the first of two from Riverfront Stadium. Despite a four-run second inning, Rochester could not dig out of an early hole.

Waterloo jumped out to a six-run lead in the opening inning, Jackson Lyon (Cal St Fullerton) hit a grand slam in his first at-bat with the Bucks.

The Honkers battled back in the following frame, plating four with the help of some miscues by the Waterloo defense. Cole Fontenelle (Washington) and Ben North (Creighton) came around to score on a two-base error. Two batters later, JJ Cruz (Cal St Fullerton) delivered a two-run homer over the right field wall to cut into the Waterloo lead. It was Cruz’s second homerun of the season, driving in RBIs seven and eight.

Waterloo used a pair of three-run innings in the third and fifth to create separation in the ballgame. The Honkers added a run in the fifth on a Mac Horvath (North Carolina) RBI double and scored three times in the sixth on a wild pitch and two-run error.

With the doubleheader opening loss, Rochester falls to 19-22 on the season. The nightcap of the doubleheader is at 6:35 from Waterloo.

Nick DeLuca//Broadcasting and Media Relations Intern