Waterloo, IA – Riley Fischer delivered six innings of one run baseball for Eau Claire after his offense cashed in with five runs in the top of the first and that was the recipe for success to take down Waterloo 6-3 in the series opener Wednesday night. 

After rain canceled their game Tuesday night, the Express exploded out of the gate on Wednesday. Cade Palkowski singled to lead off the game, then Hollon Brock doubled. A groundball that induced an error plated Palkowski to put Eau Claire in front 1-0. After a hit by pitch loaded the bases, Philip Cheong lined a single to right to move everyone up 90 feet to bring Brock home and make it 2-0. Two straight bases-loaded walks forced two runs home to double the lead, 4-0. Finally, a fielder’s choice scored the runner from third to make it 5-0. 

That was all Riley Fischer needed. The southpaw went six innings in his best start of the season for Eau Claire. He gave up just one unearned run and three hits, and he struck out eight en route to his second win of the season. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bucks scratched a run across. Two walks to Collin Brightwell and Caleb Seibers set the table. With one out in the inning, Chase Porter popped up to right, and Brightwell raced home to score to chip the lead to 5-1. 

In the top of the sixth, the Express got that run back. A hit by pitch led off the inning, then with one out, a single that ricocheted off the pitcher led to an infield single and a throwing error to plate the run to grow the lead to five once again, 6-1. 

Although Colin Conradt tallied his fifth home run of the year with a two-run shot to right, it was not enough to overcome the deficit as Olivier Martel slammed the door shut for his fourth save.

With the loss, the Bucks go to 11-18 on the season and have lost five of their last six games. Game two of the series against Eau Claire is set for Thursday night at 6:35 pm. AJ Price is on the hill for Waterloo while the starter for the Express is TBD.

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