Waterloo, IA – The Bucks started the four-game homestand with a victory on a breezy night in Waterloo as they defeated the Border Cats, 9-4.

The pitching the past few games has been some of the best we have seen from Darrell Handelsmans’ crew and today was much of the same. Kyle Beaty (Florida-Atlantic) went a season-high seven innings, only allowing six hits and collecting five strikeouts.

When Waterloo got the first runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning from a two-RBI sacrifice grounder from Ben Wilmes (Iowa), they kept the lead through the entirety of the game. In the bottom of the seventh, the Bucks put up six runs on four hits with the biggest being a Cole Smith (Southeastern CC) RBI single in his second at-bat of the inning. Waterloo sent 12 batters to the plate after the stretch.

Chaney Trout (Eastern Illinois) made his first appearance back on the mound since being announced as an NWL All-Star and got all three outs from strikeouts leaving the Cats with the bases loaded.

Waterloo and Thunder Bay are scheduled to play game two tomorrow, July 19th, with the first pitch from Riverfront Stadium set for 6:35 PM.