Waterloo, IA – Shae Buskohl tossed eight strong and efficient innings to pave the path for Waterloo to rout Duluth and earn a series split with a 15-2 win on Thursday night.

Shae Buskohl started on the mound for the Bucks and delivered the best pitching performance so far in the young season. He went eight innings, struck out five, gave up two runs with only one of them being earned, and walked just one batter. He is the first starter to tally a win for Waterloo. 

The offense gave him all the support he needed. Cole Patterson led off the bottom of the first with a walk, then, after stealing second, came around to score on a throwing error to put the Bucks on top 1-0. With two outs, Chase Porter chopped an infield single that brought home one more to make it 2-0. 

Duluth got those runs back in the top of the second. Vinny Smith led off the frame with a double, then scored on an Andrew Krupa sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. One batter later, Sam Hougen doubled down the left field line to even the tally at 2-2. 

In the home half of the inning, the Bucks pulled away. Three runs came in to score, starting with a Patterson walk to bring home a runner to give Waterloo the lead back for good, 3-2. Another walk from Jake Miller forced home a run to push the lead to 4-2. MJ Sweeney had the third RBI walk of the inning to make it 5-2. 

The Bucks piled on in the bottom of the third with a six run frame, then added four more in the last of the fourth to rout the Huskies in a 15-2 win. 

With the victory, the Bucks go to 2-2 and split the series with the Huskies and the opening homestand of the 2026 season. Waterloo opens the road portion of their schedule Friday night in Rockford, IL against the Rivets. First pitch scheduled for 6:35 pm. Both starters are TBD.

https://northwoodsleague.com/baseball/game/?id=5679