Waterloo, IA – The Waterloo Bucks split a doubleheader with the Willmar Stingers on Thursday, July 4, at Riverfront Stadium.

In game one, the Bucks triumphed 5-2 behind a strong starting pitching performance from Aidan Elfering. The righty hurler notched the eighth quality start of the season by any Waterloo pitcher, throwing six innings while giving up only two runs and earning the win. He also picked up a couple punchouts in his first victory of the season.

Cole Smith, Marcus Heusohn, Larry Edwards, and Frankie Santiago all drove in runs as Santiago and Jake Bechtel both logged two hits. Smith, Heusohn, and Santiago all doubled as the Bucks defeated the Stingers with one less hit than their opponent for the game.

Nakni Anna shut the door by recording the save in the ninth, pitching a scoreless inning with a punchout.

In game two, the Bucks fell 7-2 to Willmar.

Smith and Caleb Parker picked up the only hits of the contest for Waterloo as Parker and Owen Ross scored the lone runs for the club.

By failing to reach base in each of his three plate appearances in game two, Larry Edwards ended his on-base streak at 22 games, falling one game short of tying Marcus Heusohn for the longest on-base streak in the NWL for the year.

The two teams meet again tomorrow for a doubleheader commencing at 4:35 pm (CDT) at Riverfront Stadium. Both games will be seven-inning contests with the second game beginning 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first matchup.

GAME 1 BOXSCORE

GAME 2 BOXSCORE