WATERLOO, Iowa – “For the second time this season, the Bucks walk off the Loggers”

The La Crosse Loggers (13-13, 29-31) jumped out to an early first-inning lead when the third batter of the inning Reed Stallman launched his first home run of the year to the scoreboard in right field. For the second game in a row, it was the Loggers up on the scoreboard first, 2-0.

However, the Waterloo Bucks (6-20, 15-45) battled back, and with back-to-back singles from Caleb Corbin and Clayton Gray it set up Tai Walton for his fourth home run of the year over the left field wall giving the lead to the Bucks, 3-2 through one.

Fast forward two innings to the third that saw the Loggers battle back as La Crosse got the bases loaded for a Sam Siegel walk that tied the game. However, the Bucks were able to get out of the inning when the next batter Connor Walsh struck out, followed by a fly out to right by Bill Ralson.

From there, it felt like the game went on pause with pitching dominating. Both teams combined for just two base hits from the fourth through the eighth, both belonging to the Loggers in the fifth inning.

That was until the ninth with La Crosse down to their final three outs. A Luke Leto double put a runner on with two outs for the dangerous hitter in Xavier Casserilla. Not wanting to put the go-ahead run aboard, Waterloo elected to pitch to Casserilla, a decision it would ultimately regret.

Casserilla launched one over the wall in left, and for the first time since the top of the first inning, the Loggers were ahead on the scoreboard, 5-4. The next batter struck out, getting the Bucks out of the inning.

It was then time for the Bucks to bat in the bottom of the ninth, an inning they did not want to play in, especially down a run. However, a Corbin walk, and a Gray single put two runners aboard with nobody out.

Walton then hit a comebacker to La Crosse pitcher Jake Gebb, but Gebb recovered tossing the ball to third for the out and taking out the lead runner.

Yet another fielder’s choice would put two outs on the scoreboard but runners at the corners for Michael Mugan, a former Logger in the 2021 season. A bouncing ball to Loggers shortstop Jack Haley took a high bounce popping off the tip of his glove that allowed Gray to come home and tie the game.

Just a batter later, another high bouncing ball to the same spot, yet again it was off the tip of Haley’s glove as it was the hometown kid Brodie Kresser delivering the RBI single to walk off the ballgame as the Bucks took it, 6-5.

Kresser a native to nearby Jesup, Iowa won the ballgame as the Bucks walked off the Loggers for the second time this season, as well as their third walk-off win overall.

The Bucks, with momentum, now turn their attention to their final road trip of the season against the St. Cloud Rox at Joe Faber Field on Saturday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., you can listen to both games of the series online at waterloobucks.com.