Waterloo, IA –  The Bucks scored 13 runs to beat the Border Cats on the 4th of July and used a strong offensive performance to get it done. Mitchell Iliff had three RBIs, and Colin Coonradt went 2-4 with a double and two runs driven in to back Max Collins’ second start and second win of the season in a 13-3 rout of Thunder Bay. 

After scoring first in the first game one, Waterloo tallied the first runs of the contest in game two on Independence Day. Larry Edwards walked to begin the inning, then stole second and third. Colin Coonradt drove him in with an RBI double off the wall in left to give the Bucks a 1-0 edge. After a groundout, MJ Sweeney lifted a sac fly to center to plate Coonradt to make it 2-0. 

In the top of the second inning, Thunder Bay had an answer. A one-out hit by pitch moved up to second on a steal and scored on a Mark Ross RBI single to make it 2-1. 

In the bottom of the second, Waterloo grew their lead. A double, walk, and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Caleb Seibers, who worked a walk to force in a run to make it 3-1. With two down in the inning, Mitchell Iliff pulled a two-run single to right to extend the lead to 5-1. 

In the top of the third, Thunder Bay chipped away. Dylan Snead led off with a double, then scored on a Lincoln Pack double as the two traded places to make it 5-2. 

That was all the Border Cats would get against Bucks right-hander Max Collins. In his second start, he delivered five innings of work and struck out three on the way to his second win.

In the bottom of the fourth, Waterloo pulled away. Three walks loaded the bases for Coonradt who walked to grow the lead to 6-2. One batter later, Mitchell Iliff ripped a single to right to plate a run to make it 7-2. Next up, Sweeney grounded out and brought a run in to push the advantage to 8-2. 

Cole Bronoell-Cuthrell, Grant Keffaber, and Cameron Saleh combined for four innings of relief in which the trio gave up one hit and struck out two to finish off a 13-3 victory over Thunder Bay on the 4th of July. 

With the win, the Bucks go to 17-21 overall and 3-1 in the second half. Game three of the four-game set is slated for Sunday afternoon at 3:35 pm. Jack Walsh takes the hill for Waterloo opposite Tyler Bribiescas of the Border Cats.

https://northwoodsleague.com/baseball/game/?id=6126

* Photo courtesy of Dylan Schultz and S-Tier Media*