The Waterloo Bucks (22-10) earned their fifth sweep of 2021 with a 9-5 win over the Willmar Stingers (15-19) on Saturday evening behind 11 hits from the lineup and a dominant start from Duncan Davitt. Liam Critchett (2-for-2, 2 BB, 3 R, 2B, RBI), Garrett McGowan (2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI) and Josh Kasevich (2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI) all compiled multi-hit efforts while Jalen Smith (1-for-3, BB, 2 R, RBI) scored a pair of runs in the win.

Davitt gave Waterloo 6.0 innings of four-hit, one-walk baseball while striking out six. The righthander allowed four runs, all earned, while racking up 12 whiffs on 90 pitches to earn his second win of the summer.

Trailing 1-0 entering the home half of three, Critchett drew a one-out walk. Following a strikeout, Chris Seng walked then Smith blistered a game-tying two-out single through the left side to plate Critchett. McGowan followed by rocketing a two-run double to right-center, giving the Bucks a 3-1 lead.

Willmar scored two in the fourth then took the lead with a run in the fifth. Critchett opened the bottom of the frame with a double, then after two quick outs Smith took ball four. McGowan tied the game with a base knock laced through the left side, then Kasevich smoked an RBI single to plate Smith and give Waterloo a 5-4 lead.

Zach Carrell gave Waterloo a scoreless seventh to earn his first hold of the summer, retiring the side in order.

The Bucks added one in the seventh as Critchett drew a walk, advanced to second on a Sam Biller single, moved to third on a wild pitch then scored on a Seng sacrifice fly.

Aaron Treloar came on for the eighth, walking a pair but coming back to retire the side with back-to-back punchouts while earning his team-leading third hold.

Three more crossed home for Waterloo in the eighth with the momentum swing from Treloar, began by back-to-back doubles off the bats of Kasevich and Max Jung-Goldberg. MJG advanced 90 feet on a Mike Campagna single and was balked home. A wild pitch pushed Campagna to third, promptly plated by a Critchett single ripped back up the middle.

Zach Button finished out things in the ninth, allowing a run on two hits while striking out one.

Winners of three straight and four of their last five, Waterloo begins their First Half-closing two-game series with La Crosse on Sunday, July 4th at Riverfront Stadium at 6:35 p.m. CST. A fireworks extravaganza will follow the conclusion of Sunday’s game.