WATERLOO, IOWA- The Waterloo Bucks (26-13) unloaded an offensive onslaught to score 14 runs for the second time this season in a 14-4 victory over the Northwoods League North Division First Half Champion St. Cloud Rox (26-13).
It was actually the St. Cloud Rox getting off to the hot start on Friday night as Shane Selman delivered an RBI single to shallow left center to draw first blood in the top of the first inning. Jared Crescentini (3-2) loaded up the bases in the bottom of the second inning and hit Drew Avans to bring in another Rox run making it 2-0 St. Cloud heading to the bottom of the second inning.
Deion Thompson changed the momentum of the game with a three-run homer over the left center field wall handing the Bucks a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
Kenny Saenz (1-2) ran into some more problems in the bottom of the third as Drew Greenwood drove in an RBI on a double over the center fielder's head. Thompson tattooed a ball to right field that was dropped by Selman bringing in two more runs. A wild pitch made it 7-2 Bucks and Waterloo was not even close to being done. Keaton Presley punched an RBI single to right field and the blow that put the game out of reach was a three-run jack from Joe Genord. Brandon Gutzler doubled into the right field corner but was thrown out trying to turn it into triple to round out the nine-run bottom of the third inning.
Both teams tacked on a couple of runs but it really did not matter in the Waterloo's blowout win over St. Cloud.
The two-game home series against St. Cloud wraps up tomorrow, July 8 at 6:35 p.m. on Star Wars Night with the Bucks wearing special Star Wars jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game.
###
The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 160 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bucks as your favorite team.