Duluth, MN –  Waterloo scored all three runs in the fifth, then handed the reins over to their bullpen, which fired in five scoreless innings of work with six punchouts in a 3-2 nail-biter win in game one of the series at Duluth.

After getting swept last time against Waterloo, the Huskies got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning on Friday. Anthony Cepeda led off with a single back up the middle, then moved up to third on a hit by pitch and a fielder’s choice. He later came in to score on a throwing error that allowed Duluth to take the lead 1-0. 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Huskies tacked on another run. Andrew Ermis tucked a one-out double down the third base line to start the rally, then with two down, Anthony Cepeda roped a single to center to grow the lead to 2-0. 

In the top of the fifth, the Bucks snatched the lead. A one-out walk was followed by a single to set the table. With two outs, Larry Edwards drove a double to right field to plate a pair of runs to knot the game at 2-2. One pitch later, Chase Porter flipped a single to right to bring in Edwards easily to grab the lead for the Bucks, 3-2. 

That was all the Bucks bullpen needed. Evan Petersen was first out of the pen and went two innings, struck out two, and only gave up one hit. Sam Hanson followed him and the righty was solid in the seventh with one strikeout. Grant Keffaber struck out the side in the eighth, before Sam Skarich came on in the ninth to close the door on the Bucks victory in game one of the series Friday night. 

With the win, the Bucks go to 19-22 overall and 5-2 in the second half of the season. The second game of two games in Duluth is slated for 5:35 pm on Saturday night. Max Collins gets the start for Waterloo. The Huskies starter is TBD.