WATERLOO, IOWA- Zach Malis beat out the throw at first base on a potential double play ball allowing the winning run Ian Nelson to score in a 4-3 Waterloo Bucks (6-2) walk-off victory over the Eau Claire Express (3-5). The hustle from Malis stretches the Bucks winning streak to five games.
Daniel Jones kicked off the scoring with a solo homer over the left field wall for the first long ball of Eau Claire's season.
The Bucks answered quickly in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI groundout by Josh Elvir to tie it up 1-1. The game wasn't tied for long however as Justin Evans smoked an RBI triple down the right field line in the top of the third to put the Express back in front by one.
In the bottom of three with two outs, Zach Malis pierced an RBI single to tie the game 2-2 but was thrown out trying to advance to second base.
The see-saw battle continued in the top of the sixth inning with a runner at third base when Nic Ready rolled a ground ball to the Buck shortstop Grant Hawkins who threw home but Zach Gilles avoided the tag to score. Waterloo wasn't done yet in the bottom of the seventh inning when Korry Howell punched a single to right field bringing around the tying run 3-3.
The score remained tied in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded, Zachary Patterson (1-0) was in out of the bullpen and picked up two key strikeouts to get out of the jam.
Waterloo pounced with one out in the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back singles by Nelson and Jay Schuyler to set up runners at the corners for Malis. He sent a ball on the ground as the Express tried to turn two but Malis beat it out for the walk-off win boosting the Bucks to five consecutive wins.
Chase Dreger (1-1) was trying to finish his third inning of relief work before he was saddled with his first loss of the season.
The Bucks continue a four-game home stand by beginnig a two-game series against the Mankato Moondogs at 6:35 p.m. as the Bucks kick off My Waterloo Days with a post-game firework extravaganza immediately following the game.
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The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 160 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bucks as your favorite team.