Waterloo, IA – Bucks starter Jack Walsh went 5 strong innings and struck out four Honkers in his Northwoods League Debut while his offense gave him nine runs of support in a 9-4 win over Rochester in game one of the series. 

After the Honkers had won the first four matchups, Waterloo came out of the gates hot in the bottom of the second inning looking to flip the script. Caleb Parker led off with a single, then with two outs, Dane Most lined a single to right to bring Parker around and put the Bucks in front 1-0. One batter later, Zach Davis pushed a single on the ground to right, and Caleb Seibers continued the two-out rally with an RBI single to right that brought in Most to make it 2-0. 

That was all Jack Walsh needed. Waterloo’s right-hander went five strong innings as he made his Bucks and Northwoods League Debuts. He struck out four and allowed just one hit and six total baserunners en route to a shutout and the win. 

In the bottom of the third inning, Waterloo grew the lead. Colin Coonradt led off with a walk, then stole second and third. Next up, Parker cued a single to first to plate Coonradt to make it 3-0. Later in the inning, MJ Sweeney roped a single to right to extend the lead to 4-0. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bucks broke it open. A hit by pitch and two walks loaded the bases with nobody out. Mycah Jordan walked to bring in a run to make it 5-0 before Coonradt lasered a double off the wall in right to plate a pair to bring the score to 7-0. Finally, Mitchell Iliff looped a single to left to bring in two more to open the lead to 9-0. 

Although Rochester scored four runs in the top of the ninth, the deficit was too much to overcome as the Bucks took game one of the series 9-4. 

With the win, Waterloo goes to 11-16 on the season and 1-4 against Rochester. Game two of the series will take place in Minnesota as the Bucks hit the road for a quick one game trip. The back half of the home-and-home takes place at Mayo Field with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 pm. Chris Petersen gets the nod for the Bucks opposite Copper Annin of the Honkers.