By: Christopher Rodriguez
WATERLOO, Iowa — The Rockford Rivets (6-7) opened a two-game series against the Waterloo Bucks (6-7) on Saturday night, looking to avenge a sweep by the Bucks in their first two meetings a week earlier.
Rockford earned its first win over the Bucks this season, 5-3, marking its first two-game winning streak of the summer. The Rivets tallied nine hits to secure the victory.
Right-handed pitcher Matthew Steinberg (Manhattan College) had his third start of the season, coming into the game leading his team with 13 strikeouts on the year. He finished his night with another impressive performance, allowing two runs on just three hits, with five strikeouts to put his total to 18 on the summer.
The Rivets offense got started early, as a one-out Jack Scheri (Stony Brook University) single and a one-out Caleb Rhodes (Olive-Harvey University) double put them into scoring position. Bryce Nevils (John A. Logan University) brought in his seventh RBI of the season through a groundout, putting the Rivets up first, 1-0.
Steinberg found himself in a bit of trouble early in the bottom of the first, as back-to-back one-out walks allowed the Bucks to tie the game. A deep popout to right field tagged a runner to third, while the runner at first stole second a few pitches later. Steinberg grazed the top of the batter’s helmet in a dangerous pitch, loading the bases with two outs. He would strike out the side the next at-bat, getting the Rivets out of the inning unscathed.
In the top of the fourth, Nevils kicked things off with a leadoff double, advancing to third from a sac fly the next at-bat. Davis Collie (John A. Logan University) delivered his eighth RBI of the season with a sac fly into deep left center field to score his college teammate, making it 2-0 Rivets.
The top of the fifth inning was more of the same for the offense, as Coby Neville (Paradise Valley CC) and Jonathan Hartman began with back-to-back singles, getting Neville to third base. Jackson Forbes kept the train moving, knocking an RBI single into right field, scoring another run with two runners on with no outs. Following a sacrifice bunt from Jack Scheri (Stony Brook University) to get Hartman to third, Rhodes delivered more damage with an RBI groundout, making it 4-0.
The Bucks found life in the bottom of the fifth, bringing a runner on through a hit by pitch with one out. Steinberg would strike out the next batter, but the game was paused due to a drone being flown in the outfield, delaying the game by five minutes. Once play resumed, Waterloo drew another walk and an eventual two-run double to cut the lead to just two.
Bryk Barnard (GateWay CC) took the mound in place of Steinberg, the catcher’s first pitching appearance of the season. Barnard began his first pitching assignment of the summer with the final strikeout to end the inning, keeping the score 4-2 for Rockford.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Waterloo loaded the bases for the second time in the matchup. Barnard, however, once again managed to get Rockford out of an inning with runners in scoring position, keeping his team ahead by two runs.
Right-handed pitcher Ben Buehring (University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh), the fifth pitcher of the game for Rockford, took over the mound in the bottom of the eighth, with two runners on with two outs. Buehring walked his first batter, loading the bases for Waterloo for the third time in this game. This time the Bucks took advantage, drawing another walk to make it 4-3. Buehring escaped the inning with a fly out, going into the ninth with a one-run lead.
Zan Von Schlegell (University of St. Thomas) walked to begin the top of the ninth, making his way all the way to home plate after a series of wild pitches to add some insurance for his team, 5-3.
Buehring found himself with two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but was able to strike out the final batter and end the game for the second night in a row. He finished the game with three strikeouts and no hits allowed.
Rockford will battle the Bucks one final time this summer, Sunday at 3:35 p.m., looking to win their first series of the season. Fans can purchase tickets to Rivets games all season long at www.rockfordrivets.com.