The Waterloo Bucks fell in heartbreaking fashion to the Eau Claire Express in Monday’s Great Plains East Subdivisional Series opener 2-1 as the tying run was thrown out at home to end the game.

Jack Parkinson dealt 7.0 innings of two-run ball while receiving a hard-luck loss, scattering four hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Waterloo’s ace worked at a 52.4% groundball rate while piling up 9 whiffs on his 88 pitches.

After Eau Claire scored two in the fourth on a single, Bucks first baseman Dylan Phillips (1-3, BB, R, HR, RBI) blasted a solo home run to right-center, cutting the deficit in half.

Taking the ball from Parkinson in the eighth, Brett Lockwood fired 2.0 scoreless innings with a pair of punchouts. Following a leadoff double by the first batter he faced, Lockwood proceeded to retire the next six.

Patrick Ferguson (1-4, 2B) blasted a one-out double in the bottom of the ninth, then was pinch-ran for by Noah Conlon. After a flyout brought Kyler Arenado (2-4) to the plate with two men gone and Conlon standing on second, Waterloo’s third baseman singled through the left side. Conlon was waved home, but a precise throw from the Express’ left fielder beat him to the plate and the catcher applied the tag to end the game.

The Subdivisional Series pivots to Eau Claire for a must-win game two at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday on the Bucks Radio Network powered by 1650 The Fan.

Box Score