WILLMAR, Minn. – After eight games between the Bucks and Stingers in 2022, one thing is clear. Freddy Smith can win games against his former team.
On yet another night where pitching reigned supreme, the Waterloo Bucks (2-12, 11-37) held a narrow 2-1 lead at the seventh inning stretch over the Willmar Stingers (11-3, 32-16).
Willmar took the initial lead in the second when JT Navyac hit an RBI single to score Will Busch, but the Bucks took the lead back in the fourth on a two-RBI double by Liam Critchett that blooped in, just touching in fair territory down the rightfield line. Josh Patrick and Karl Koerper would come in to score.
But, just like the first game of the series, the Stingers used the final third to win the ballgame. Tying the game in the bottom of the seventh, Aidan Byrne singled to score Joey Walls. A batter later Busch doubled to take the lead, 3-2.
In the eighth, the Bucks couldn’t get anything going offensively, but the Stingers could. 10 runs scored on seven hits in the bottom of the eighth, in a puzzle that the Bucks management just couldn’t solve bringing in three different pitchers to piece together the inning.
The ninth went just as quickly as the Bucks’ eighth as reliever Mitch Gutknecht pitched four perfect innings in relief as the Stingers took the game, 13-2 as well as the series.
Both starters, Keaton Parker for Waterloo and Sam Malec for Willmar did an excellent job allowing just a run, and two runs respectively, but it would be the bullpens that decided this game. Gutknecht got the winning decision, while Austen Price got the loss out of the pen.
The game also marked the final regular season game between the Stingers and Bucks this season, as the Stingers took home the rare feat of an eight-game season series sweep.
Waterloo now turns its attention to the state of North Dakota for its only visit to Bismarck this season. The Bucks will play four games, including a split doubleheader on Tuesday to complete their season series with the Larks.
First pitch for Monday’s game is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. from Bismarck Municipal Stadium. You can listen to that game, as well as all Bucks road games at waterloobucks.com.