Waterloo, IA – In the series opener with La Crosse, the Loggers took off to score 22 runs as Maxwell Kalk went 4-5 with four RBIs, Kelsen Johnson brought home four runs with two doubles, and Noah Jones drove home three in a 22-3 rout of Waterloo Wednesday night.
After sweeping Rochester, La Crosse grabbed the lead in the top of the fourth inning in game one with Waterloo. Eli Small walked with one out, then sprinted home to score on a Maxwell Kalk double to put the Loggers up 1-0.
In the top of the fifth inning, La Crosse erupted for seven runs. Two singles put two on for Chris Calico, who squeezed a single to center to plate a run to make it 2-0. One batter later, Eason Hurd muscled a single to center to bring home another to make it 3-0. Now with two outs, Kalk pushed an RBI single to left to jack the lead to 4-0. During the next at-bat, a double steal saw Hurd steal home to make it 5-0. Two walks loaded the bases for Easton Arendt to single to move the runners up 90 ft and scratch a run across, 6-0. Finally, Noah Jones roped a double to left to plate a pair to balloon the lead to 8-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Bucks got on the board. Caleb Seibers reached on an error, then moved up on a hit by pitch and a groundout. Next man up, Caleb Parker grounded out to bring Seibers in to score to chip the lead to 8-1.
In the top of the sixth, the Loggers cracked the game open. Two hit by pitches and a single loaded the bases for Logan De Groot to walk as well to force a run in to make it 9-1. Due up next, Kelsen Johnson laced a double to right to bring two runs home to make it 11-1. Lastly, Easton Arendt grounded out to bring the final run of the inning in to make it 12-1.
Both teams would add on with the Loggers blowing Waterloo out of the water with a ten-run top of the ninth to put the final tally at 22-3 in a beatdown of the Bucks in the series opener.
With the loss, the Bucks go to 29-37 on the season and 15-17 in the second half. The Bucks take on La Crosse in game two of the two-game set Thursday night at 6:35 pm for their final home game of the season. Nate Berzonski takes the mound for the Bucks opposite Aaron Ploszay of the Loggers.