WATERLOO, IOWA- The Waterloo Bucks (34-26) erased a eight-run deficit in the final two inning as Deion Thompson delivered a walk-off double to left sealing an 11-10 come from behind victory over the Bismarck Larks (26-33).
Bismarck started out hot at the plate on a two-run double by Luke Horanski and an RBI single by Brandon Lankford to open the game in the top of the first.
Thompson belted an RBI double for a Bucks answer in the bottom of the second inning and Jake Viaene followed it with an RBI base knock of his own trimming the early Lark lead down to 3-2.
The Larks got a run back in the top of the fourth on an RBI double to left by Luke Waldek. Six runs in the top of the eighth inning attempted to push the game out of reach for Bismarck with the big blow being a three-run homer over the left field wall by Brandon Lankford.
Waterloo trailed 10-2 entering the bottom of the eighth inning but the comeback started with RBI singles from Drew Greenwood, Charlie Concannon, Viaene and a two-run single by Jay Schuyler. After eight innings, the Bucks narrowed the score to 10-7.
Nathan Walker (4-2) kept the momentum going by setting down the Larks in order in the top of the ninth. Zach Walz (1-1) came in to close out the game but struggled with control as he walked in two runs drawing the deficit to just one run with the bases loaded and only one out.
It was time for Thompson to punish the ball to left center where it bounced off of the wall allowing the game tying and game winning runs to score as Waterloo completed the daunting comeback 11-10.
The Bucks aim to keep rolling tomorrow, July 31 at 7:05 p.m. in Mankato against the MoonDogs.
###
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 180 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.