Tyler Selesky (Florida Gulf Coast) smashed a three-run homer while Carson McPherson (Murray St. College) picked up his first winning start in a seven-run victory at Eau Claire. The Waterloo bullpen did not allow a hit past the fifth inning in the win.
By: Matt Gruemmer, Waterloo Bucks
EAU CLAIRE, WI – A night after being shutout in Mankato, the Waterloo Bucks (9-4) put together a 12 hit day at the plate in a 9-2 defeat over the Eau Claire Express (4-9) Sunday evening at Carson Park. The Bucks’ pitching staff was brilliant throughout the contest, and the bullpen did not allow a single base-hit after the fifth inning. Tyler Selesky (Florida Gulf Coast) and Taylor Boyd (St. Joseph’s) both collected three RBIs in the box by contributing extra-base hits, and Weston Hatten (Washington St.) crossed the plate three times on the night.
Carson McPherson (1-1) (Murray St. College) settled in after walking three batters in the opening two frames to pick up his first win of the season as a starter. The southpaw gave up all four Eau Claire hits on the night along with two runs while striking out five and walking three.
Selesky smashed Waterloo in front, 3-0, in the opening frame with his first homerun of the season over the wall in right. Zach McKinstry (Central Michigan) and Alex Boxwell (Minnesota) singled earlier in the inning and both scored on Selesky’s long ball.
After Weston Hatten (Washington St.) and Joseph Shepherd (Murray St. College) both reached on one-out free passes in the second, Boyd tripled to the wall in right-centerfield to bring the duo in and force the score to 5-0.
Eau Claire got on the scoreboard and made it 6-1 in the bottom of the second when Daniel Jipping (Central Michigan) raced across home plate after he led off the frame with a walk.
Waterloo wasted no time in adding offense with two more runs in the top of the fourth. Matthew Stemper (Minnesota) crossed the plate on an RBI groundout to first base from Boyd to make it a six-run advantage for the Bucks. Later in the frame, Mikal Hill (Winston-Salem St.) singled in Hatten for the 7-1 lead, midway through the fourth.
McPherson (1-1) took the win and ended his start after five strong innings of two-run baseball where he allowed four hits, three different walks and struck out five Express hitters.
Sean Trimble (Long Beach St.) entered out of the bullpen for Waterloo to open the sixth and cruised through three scoreless, hitless frames while walking and striking out one.
Tyler Jones (Air Force) provided the Express a run-scoring single in the bottom of the fifth to cut into the deficit, 7-2.
The Bucks sprinkled in single runs in the seventh and eighth to push ahead further in the scoring column. With one out in the top of the seventh, McKinstry brought in Boyd with a single to tally his lone RBI of the night. Joseph Shepherd (Murray St. College) tripled in Hatten in the eighth inning to push the game to its final margin, 9-2.
Derringer Huff (South Dakota St.) closed the ninth for Waterloo and secured the seven-run victory over the Express. In his one scoreless inning of work, Huff allowed no hits and hit one batter with a pitch.
The Bucks close the series with the Express with a 6:35 p.m. showdown Monday in Eau Claire. Waterloo returns home June 9 to face Thunder Bay. Next Tuesday marks a Two For Tuesday promotion. Follow the Bucks on Facebook or their email newsletter for a buy one ticket get one FREE offer for Tuesday home games. One lucky fan will win a pair of Minnesota Twins tickets given away at every Tuesday home game.
Tickets are available at waterloobucks.com. You can also visit the Bucks Ticket Office at Riverfront Stadium or call 319-232-5633.
Bucks games are broadcast live on waterloobucks.com.
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The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com.