Thunder Bay, ON – The Waterloo Bucks earned their first shutout victory of the year on Monday, June 30, with a 14-0 win over the Thunder Bay Border Cats at Port Arthur Stadium.
With this triumph, the Bucks end their three-game losing streak and finish the first half tied for the fifth-best record in the NWL.
When Larry Edwards launched a solo home run over the left field wall to start the second inning with the game’s first run, the Bucks had all the run support they needed for the remainder of the contest. They would go on to score at least one run in each of the next six innings.
Waterloo’s pitching combination allowed only two hits for the duration of the game — a season low for any contest this season. Brandon Rice earned his second win of the year, striking out two across three scoreless frames out of the bullpen with just one hit and three walks.
Parker Sweeney also hurled three innings with one hit and three walks, punching out three as the Bucks’ starter. Nakni Anna and Kole Bradley joined forces to complete the last three frames, surrendering no hits in the process.
Jake Bechtel led all bats with three runs driven in as he and Edwards both notched a game-high three hits, extending Edwards’ on-base streak to 19 games. Luca Perriello stunned the crowd with his first home run of the year in the eighth, joining Marcus Heusohn as the only other Waterloo player to plate multiple runs. Sam Finn picked up the only other RBI, reaching base a game-high four times along with Edwards, Bechtel, Perriello, and Jake Slade. Every Waterloo batter got aboard at least once with eight of the nine getting on at least twice.
The second half commences tomorrow, Tuesday, July 1, when the Bucks take on the Border Cats at 12:35 pm (CDT) for game three of the series.