WATERLOO, Iowa – For seven innings, it seemed like the day would go the same for the Waterloo Bucks as it did on Friday, the Willmar starting pitcher was going into the seventh inning, nearly lights out only allowing a run. But the Bucks were able to stage a comeback and tie the game at 3-3.

Ernie Day in just his third appearance for the Waterloo Bucks (2-10) this season, had his worst outing. As the Willmar Stingers (6-6) would plate a run in the top of the first, and second innings. Add on to that a run given up by relief pitcher Marcus Morgan in his Bucks debut, and things were adding up for another Bucks loss with the home team down 3-0 through three and a half.

But, the Bucks were able to scrape one across in the bottom half of the fourth when Tai Walton hit an RBI single to score Caleb Hill, who had hit a double in the previous at-bat to get a runner in scoring position with two outs. The deficit was just two.

The score would remain 3-1 until the seventh-inning stretch when it was yet again the Bucks scoring in the bottom half of the inning. AJ Shaver would collect his first base hit for the Bucks, followed immediately by Cameron Cromer that tied the ballgame at 3-3 after Waterloo scored three unanswered runs.

But the rush of tying the ballgame in the late innings must have gotten to reliever Cael Boehmer. A walk and a single forced interim manager Tyler Willis’s hand as Boehmer was relieved for Trent Reddick in a call to the bullpen. Things only went from bad to worse as Reddick allowed a single and a sac fly that gave Willmar back a narrow 4-3 lead. Still, with Waterloo in striking distance, Willmar put the game away with another 2-RBI single from Drey Dirksen for the second night in a row. Willmar would take the lead 6-3 and end up winning by that score.

Waterloo would get two runners on for the remainder of the ballgame, both occurring in the bottom half of the eighth, plus a 1-2-3 ninth gave the Bucks their 10^th loss of the season.

The Bucks are the first team in the Northwoods League this season to double-digit losses, while Willmar has battled their way back to .500 after a slow start to the season. Waterloo now has the benefit of two days off to regroup before heading on the road to take on the struggling La Crosse Loggers.

First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. from Copeland Park in La Crosse, Wisconsin. You can tune into that game on the Bucks Radio Network by following the links at waterloobucks.com.