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Waterloo held on to a 3-2 late in the ninth inning to overtake Eau Claire at home.
By: Matt Gruemmer, Waterloo Bucks
WATERLOO, Iowa – With two outs and the game-tying runner at third base, reliever Mitchel Babb (Ole Miss) sent down Daniel Jipping (Central Michigan) on strikes to stave off a late Eau Claire Express (16-29/3-8) comeback and secure a 3-2 win for the Waterloo Bucks (24-23/6-5) Saturday night at Riverfront Stadium. Mikal Hill (Winston-Salem St.) provided two runs and reached base all four trips he made to the plate while Jonah Bride (Neosho County CC) tallied two RBIs and a double, sending the Bucks to their ninth victory out of the last 11 contests at home.
Jordan Desguin (3-2) (Florida Gulf Coast) was sensational for Waterloo in the start, giving up just three hits, including a solo homerun, along with five strikeouts over seven strong frames on the mound. Mitchel Babb earned his first save of the year out of the bullpen after holding the Express to just one run on three hits in two innings of relief.
Ending an 11-inning scoring drought, the Bucks broke into the column in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead. Hill, who reached base in the inning on an error at shortstop, was brought in by a Jonah Bride (Neosho County CC) one-out double down the right field line for the early score.
Teddy Cillis (Hofstra) tied the game at 1-1 with one swing of the bat on one out in the top of the fourth. The first homerun of the year given up by Desguin was the only run he gave up over seven frames of work.
The Bucks added offense in the sixth when Matt Stemper (Minnesota) singled in Hill with two outs. Hill walked with one out earlier in the frame and scored to give Waterloo a 3-1 lead.
Zach Soria (Florida International) grabbed a monumental insurance run in the bottom of the eighth after he opened the frame with a double to deep center off the wall. Bride singled him in with one out to push to advantage to 3-1 in favor of the home team.
Eau Claire rallied for three hits in the top of the ninth, but their offense ended after a two-out strikeout delivered by Babb on the mound. Sam Mrstik (Johnson County CC) plated Tyler Adkinson (San Diego St.) for the frame’s only run, making the final score a 3-2 Waterloo win.
The Bucks continue the home stand Sunday with a 3:35 PM (CT) match-up against the Eau Claire Express. It’s another Kids Eat Free Sunday where kids ages 12 & under get a coupon for a hot dog, small popcorn, & small fountain soda! Also fans can enjoy Make It Up Face Painting and Darrel the Balloon Man during 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.
