ALEXANDRIA,MN  The Alexandria Blue Anchors rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to stun the Waterloo Bucks 9-8 at Knute Nelson Memorial Field on Saturday afternoon. Nehwon Norken's one out single up the middle scored two runs and finished off a back and forth game that had seen the Bucks come back from a large early deficit.

Will Sparks had three hits, including a homer and two RBI in the loss. Reliever Greg Kuhlman was a very bright spot for a pitching staff that otherwise struggled all day as he had two scoreless innings of relief.

Alexandria had taken a 6-0 lead in the second inning off Bucks' starter Landon Simpson, but Simpson would settle down and not allow anything else over five innings. The Bucks began the come back with a pair of runs in the third inning on RBI singles from Sparks and Connor McClain to make it 6-2.

The Bucks added two more in the fifth and were down 6-4 entering the sixth inning when the team accomplished a rare feat.

With two outs, David Kerian hit a two-run homer and Sparks followed with a solo shot that gave the Bucks the 7-6 lead and is the team's first back-to-back home runs since July 29, 2012.

The Bucks extended the lead on a Luke Stratman RBI double in the seventh and led 8-6.

Unfortuntely, Alexandria would rally scoring a run on a fielder's choice in the eighth before completing the comeback in the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, Bucks' closer Adam Dian would get the first out but allowed consecutive singles to Kris Goodman and Roman Collins. A wild pitch moved both into scoring position setting the stage for Norken's ground ball up the gut that ended the game.

This is the first time the Bucks have lost a game when trailing after eight innings since July 2012.