The Waterloo Bucks (20-17, 0-1) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but could not consistently carry their offensive momentum throughout the game as they fell 11-3 to the Rochester Honkers (19-17, 1-0) on Wednesday evening.
Tony Jenkins (2-5, R, SB) and Bennett Hostetler (0-3, 2 BB, R) led off the home first with a single and a walk. Patrick Ferguson (2-3, 2 BB, R, 2B, 2 RBI) hammered a double off the left-center wall, scoring both runners. One batter later, Blake Wagenseller (2-4, BB, 2B, RBI) doubled in Ferguson.
Waterloo’s pitching and defense struggled throughout the evening, surrendering 11 unanswered runs. The Bucks’ bats went 2-11 as an offense with runners in scoring position.
Alex Ronnebaum (2-4) and Mike Nyisztor (2-3, BB) each posted two-hit games for Waterloo in the loss.
The Bucks and Rochester meet in the second tilt of the four-game home-and-home series on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. in Waterloo.
