The Waterloo Bucks (38-23, 14-12) earned a sweep of the Mankato MoonDogs (38-21, 13-11) with an 8-5 win on Friday night as Josh Kasevich (3-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, SF, ROE), Paul Steffensen (3-for-5, 2 R, SB) and Max Jung-Goldberg (2-for-2, BB, HBP, R, 2 2B, 2 RBI, SF) each provided muli-hit efforts. Waterloo pounded out 10 hits and committed zero errors in the win, holding a 1.5-game lead in the second half standings of the Great Plains-East and finishing their homestand with a 5-1 record.

Kasevich reached on an error in the first with two away and came around to score on a Jung-Goldberg double blasted into right-center. Mankato stole the lead with a two-run third, only to see the Bucks respond immediately in the home half as Luke Fennelly (1-for-3, BB, R) and Steffensen singled then Jalen Smith (0-for-3, 2 BB, ROE) drew a walk to load the bases. Kasevich and Jung-Goldberg smacked back-to-back sacrifice flies, retaking the lead at 3-2.

A MoonDogs home run in the fourth tied things at three, then the visitors added a pair in the fifth to make it 5-3 Mankato.

Smith took ball four, Kasevich singled then Jung-Goldberg drew a walk to fill the bases in the fifth. Two outs later, Mike Campagna (1-for-2, 2 RBI) ripped a two-run single back up the middle and an error on the relay throw allowed the go-ahead run to score.

The Bucks added one in the seventh as Kasevich singled and came around to score on a wild pitch, then the Bucks’ shortstop delivered for one final time in his Waterloo finale with an RBI single to plate Steffensen in the eighth.

Aaron Treloar (W, 1.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 2 K) earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief while Brycen Mautz (HD, 2.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K) picked up a hold in his final appearance of the summer. Zach Button (SV, 1.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, K) slammed the door for his fourth save.

Waterloo begins a two-game road series, their final trip of the regular season, on Saturday evening at 6:35 p.m. CST in Eau Claire against the Express.