Alexandria, MN – Waterloo piled up 13 runs on 17 hits to run past the Alexandria Beetles by a score of 13-8. This marks not only the third straight win for the Bucks but it is the sixth win in their previous eight contests. Connor Cline provided a decent spot start for the blue and yellow on the road, but it was the bats making all the noise as five hitters tallied multiple hits on the night. The visitors scored in every inning but two of them. With the win, Waterloo improves to 27-25 overall including 8-9 in the second half of play while the Beetles fall to 21-31 and 8-9 in the second half as well.
The Bucks struck early with two in the first on an RBI doubles from both Dan Sheppard and Tuesday’s Home Run Derby participant, Kevin Kaczmarski. The hosts would tie it up in the bottom of the frame but the good guys would take the lead back and keep it for good.
A run would score in the second on a solo home run from Jordan Adams, his seventh of the season tying him with Kaczmarski for the team lead. Another would cross the plate in the third by way of an RBI single from Kaczmarski to bring in Thomas Lindauer. The home team cut the game to 4-3 in the fourth but the Bucks would go on to score in the next four innings.
Two would come home in the fifth on an RBI double from Sheppard scoring Lindauer and a bases loaded walk to Adams bringing in Sheppard. Alexandria got one back in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 6-4 but Waterloo put up a three spot in the sixth. Sheppard brought in Davis Hendrickson with an RBI single, Kaczmarski walked with the bases loaded and Sean Borman brought in Lindauer with an RBI single to make it 9-4. The Beetles would score two more in the bottom of the sixth to make it 9-6.
Benny Roberts hit a two-run double in the seventh and Nico Zych hit a two-run home run in the eighth, his first of the summer, to make the score 13-6 and give the Bucks their biggest lead of the game. Alexandria would manage only two in the bottom of the ninth and that is how the score would stand at 13-8.
Sheppard led the way at the dish going 3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs scored. His average is up to .341 on the season. Behind him were four other Bucks with multiple hits including Lindauer, Roberts, Kaczmarski, and Hendrickson. Lindauer, Zych and McCallum each scored multiple times and Roberts, Kaz, Adams, and Zych each had 2+ runs batted in as well.
Connor Cline (1-2) gets his first win after throwing five innings and giving up four earned runs on on seven hits while striking out three and walking four Beetles. On the other side, Brandon Johnson takes the loss and moves to 0-1.
Tomorrow, Waterloo looks for the three-game sweep with first pitch set for 3:05 p.m.. Then comes the All-Star Game in Madison, Wisconsin on Tuesday night with first pitch set for 7:35 p.m. Representing the Bucks in that event will be Austin Barrett, Kaczmarski, Borman, and pitcher Jordan Foley. Before that is the Home Run Derby with Kaczmarski looking for the title. Keep checking back into www.waterloobucks.com for all of your latest information on The Cedar Valley’s Home Team.