MANKATO, Minn. – A day after the Waterloo Bucks took down the MoonDogs 12-3, the Dogs flipped the script.

At first, a promising sight for the Bucks as they scored a run in the first inning for the first time this season when Kaleb Knox hit a sacrifice fly that easily scored Alec Patino. But the MoonDogs would be the ones who set the tone of the ball game when they plated four runs in the bottom half of the leadoff inning.

A pair of RBI groundouts, an error, and an RBI single scored the four runs for the MoonDogs who would go on to score four runs in an inning twice more in Thursday’s series finale. The Bucks cut into the lead in the fourth to just a one-run deficit but the MoonDogs again put up the four spot after the Bucks scored in the top half of the inning.

The fifth was capped off by a three-run home run hit to left by Sean Ross for the MoonDogs, his second of the season. The Bucks could only manage to scrape across one more run when Alec Patino, at the time the pitcher, hit his third of the season to right-centerfield.

It wouldn’t end up mattering as the Mankato MoonDogs (3-1) took down the Waterloo Bucks (1-3) 13-4, to split the series. Although very early into the season, the Bucks next travel to Eau Claire to take on the Great Plains East-leading Express. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. from Carson Park.

You can listen to all Waterloo Bucks road games by following the links at waterloobucks.com.