Doug Hayes (Illinois) was dominant out of the bullpen, holding Battle Creek scoreless for four innings of relief.
WATERLOO, Iowa – The Waterloo Bucks (19-20/1-2) held on to a 6-4 late lead to down the Battle Creek Bombers (13-25/0-3) and take their first game of the second half Friday night at Riverfront Stadium. Doug Hayes (Illinois) earned his first save and worked out of two threatening jams in the eighth and ninth innings to hold the Bombers scoreless in his second relief outing of the year. Zach McKinstry (Central Michigan) was a hot 3-for-3 at the plate while Adam McGinnis (Western Illinois) collected two doubles and scored a run in the win.
Carson McPherson (3-2) (Murray St. College) picked up the winning start after his offense tallied the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth. The left-hander surrendered all four Battle Creek runs on seven hits while striking out a pair and walking one in his five frames on the hill. The victory gave Waterloo its fifth straight at home as well as a 2-1 lead in the series against the Bombers.
Battle Creek went ahead, 1-0, in the top of the first when Brennan Lund (Brigham Young) scored on a one-out sacrifice fly from Christian Helsel (Penn St.).
Trailing by a run, Waterloo took the lead, 2-1, after plating two in the opening inning. Back-to-back sacrifice-flies from Zach Soria (Florida International) and Ryan Nagle (Illinois) brought in Luke Stratman (Lamar CC) and McKinstry, respectively. Stratman opened the rally after reaching on an error at shortstop.
Alex Boxwell (Minnesota) made it a 4-1 advantage for the Bucks in the bottom of the second after he tripled in McGinnis to right field and scored on Matthew Stemper’s (Minnesota) sacrifice fly to left.
The Bombers quickly made a response in the top of the third, plating two runs on two hits and a Waterloo error. Lund crossed the plate on a wild pitch while Cayce Bredlau (Austin Peay) scored on a bang-bang play to the plate that was dropped for an error by Soria.
Ryan Nagle lifted the Bucks in front, 5-4, in the fifth, sliding into home safely on McGinnis’ second double of the game.
Doug Hayes proved to be a vital part of the defense on the night, shutting down the Bombers for just three hits throughout his four scoreless frames out of the bullpen. Hayes earned his first save of the season in the outing and escaped two innings with Battle Creek runners in scoring position.
Zach Soria aided the Bucks, again, in the bottom of the seventh with a bases-loaded walk that brought McGinnis across for the 6-4 lead.
The Bucks close the two-game series with the Rox Friday at 7:05 p.m. (CT) from Joe Faber Field. Waterloo returns home Friday, July 3rd, to open a four-game home stand featuring two games with both the Battle Creek Bombers and Willmar Stingers.
Friday’s contest with Battle Creek marks a Flat Screen Friday where fans ages 18 and older can register to win one of three 32" flat screen TVs. It will also be a FIREWORKS Extravaganza night with post-game fireworks following the Bucks’ contest with Battle Creek.
Tickets are available at waterloobucks.com. You can also visit the Bucks Ticket Office at Riverfront Stadium or call (319)-232-5633.
Bucks’ games are broadcast live on waterloobucks.com.
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The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com.