Waterloo, IA – The Bucks rested on Cade Nolan’s five scoreless innings before needing to rally back late in the ballgame. Jake Slade went 2-3 with the game-tying single, and George Baker went 2-4 and notched the go-ahead RBI base hit before Sam Skarich locked up the 4-3 Waterloo win in the series opener against Kenosha.

Looking to keep their five-game win streak alive, Waterloo took the lead first in the bottom of the second inning. Jake Slade ripped a one-out double, then stole third and scored on a throwing error to put the Bucks ahead 1-0.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bucks added to their advantage. Slade was hit by a pitch, then moved up to third on a balk and a wild pitch. With one out, Dane Most brought home the run with an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 2-0.

After that, the Bucks let Cade Nolan go to work. The starter was excellent in his outing as he went five innings of shutout baseball and struck out four hitters.

In the top of the seventh inning, Kenosha flipped the game on its head. A Gus Gregory one-out walk moved up to third on a Brian Gould double. One batter later, an RBI groundout allowed a run to score to halve the lead to 2-1. With two away, Noah Alvarz laced a single to right to bring in Gould to even things up at 2-2. 

In the top of the eighth, the Kingfish snatched the lead. A single started the inning, then a walk put a man in scoring position. After a wild pitch, Jackson Brewer singled to right to plate the go-ahead run before an outfield assist cut down another trying to score. On the play, Kenosha jumped ahead 3-2. 

In the home half of the inning, Waterloo struck back. Mitchell Iliff stroked a leadoff double down the right field line, then stole third. With the infield in, Slade chopped a single up the middle to bring Iliff in to level the score, 3-3. Now with two down, Dane Most singled to keep the line moving. One batter later, George Baker flipped a single to left to score Slade and give the Bucks the lead, 4-3.

In the top of the ninth, Sam Skarich entered to slam the door shut on Kenosha and seal up his fourth save of the season.

With the win, Waterloo goes to 23-22 overall and 9-2 in the second half of the season. Game two of the series against the Kingfish is scheduled for Wednesday night at 6:35. Owen Coffman is the starter for the Bucks opposite Kyle Hirsh of Kenosha.