Waterloo tallied 11 hits, but surrendered four runs late in a 5-3 defeat against St. Cloud.
By: Matt Gruemmer, Waterloo Bucks
WATERLOO, Iowa – Two runs by the Rox in both the six and seventh innings proved to be too much as the Waterloo Bucks (13-12) fell to St. Cloud (14-9), 5-3, Friday night at Riverfront Stadium. The Bucks dropped their season-high fourth consecutive game with just three runs being scored in the bottom of the fourth. Adam McGinnis (Western Illinois) led the offense with a 3-for-3 night, including a double and a run-scoring single, while both Zach Soria (Florida International) and Mark Hernandez (Long Island) provided two hits in the losing effort. Nathan Spielvogel (0-4) (Marrimack) took the loss out of the bullpen for Waterloo after surrendering two runs on four hits over 1 1/3 innings of work. Each man in the St. Cloud starting lineup recorded at least one hit against Waterloo pitching.
St. Cloud took the lead with a run on three hits in the top of the third. Webb Bobo (Southeastern Louisiana) singled to open the frame and came in to make it 1-0 on an RBI single from Michael Strem (Boston College).
The Bucks grabbed their only lead with three runs and five hits in the bottom of the fourth. Hernandez and Ryan Nagle (Illinois) opened the inning with back-to-back singles to the right-field side before Tyler Selesky (Florida Gulf Coast), McGinnis and Matthew James (Illinois) consecutively collected one-baggers, respectively, to load the bases and bring in the frame’s first two hitters.
Stratman (Lamar CC), then, received a bases-loaded walk to bring in Selesky for the 3-1 Waterloo lead heading to the fifth. Nagle, a 2014 player with the Bucks, made his 2015 debut for the team in the game.
The Rox struck again in the fifth, tying the game, 3-3. With two outs, run-scoring singles by both Brandon Benson (Georgia College and State) and Jake Farr (Tennessee Tech) knotted the score before Spielvogel came on and struck out the final batter to retire the side.
Preston Church (Western Illinois) took a no-decision, exiting in the fifth with two outs and two men on base. The southpaw allowed three runs on nine hits while walking one and striking out six.
Spielvogel (0-4) entered in the sixth-inning jam and recorded the final out by striking out the first man he faced. The reliever took the loss on the night after allowing two runs on four total hits while striking out a single batter.
St. Cloud bullied the Bucks for two more runs in the seventh on RBI singles from Liam Bedford (Doane) and Kyle Serrano (Colorado Mesa) to take the decisive lead, 5-3.
Charlie Naso, Jr. (Illinois) made his Waterloo debut out of the bullpen to start the eighth. The right-hander tossed two scoreless frames in relief while giving up two hits, walking two and striking out one to close out the game.
The Bucks close the series with St. Cloud Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT from Riverfront Stadium. It’s a FIREWORKS Extravaganza Saturday where the Bucks will have a fireworks show following the 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.
