Bucks Match Franchise Hit Record In 17-10 Victory

The Waterloo Bucks matched a single-game franchise record with 22 hits in a 17-10 win over the Thunder Bay Border Cats at Riverfront Stadium Wednesday night (Aug. 11, 2016).

Travon Benton and Robert Neustrom paced Waterloo with four hits apiece. The run output was the highest of the season for the Bucks, who completed their first series sweep in over a month.

Waterloo (12-21, 34-34) brought 11 batters to the plate and scored six times in the bottom of the first inning. Alex Boxwell scored from third on a wild pitch for the first run of the game before Adam McGinnis extended the Bucks’ lead to three with a two-run single to right. A sacrifice fly from Luke Barry made it 4-0 and Brody Weiss increased the lead to five with an RBI double to left. Benton brought home the final run of the inning with an RBI single to right-center.

The Bucks have now scored in the first inning in four consecutive games.

Thunder Bay (13-20, 19-48) cut Waterloo's lead to four with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second.

The Bucks increased their lead to 14-2 with an eight-run second inning, when they sent 13 batters to plate. Neustrom’s two-run double scored the first two runs of the frame and two more scored on a Thunder Bay fielding error. Boxwell followed with an RBI single and Zach Weatherford increased Waterloo’s lead to 13-2 with a two-run double. McGinnis then drove in the final run of the inning on a fielder’s choice.

Bucks Field Manager Scott Douglas rested McGinnis, who's played in 64 of 68 games this season, after the second inning. He left the game needing one home run and one RBI to tie single-season franchise records in both categories.

McGinnis ended the night with three RBI. Neustrom also finished the game with three RBI, going 4-for-5 at the plate and scoring two runs. For his effort, Neustrom was named the Northwoods League's offensive player of the night.

Waterloo tacked on an additional run in the fourth inning, increasing its lead to 15-2. Milligan started the frame with a single to right, but a fielding error on the play allowed him to advance to third. Two batters later, Neustrom brought home Milligan with a sacrifice fly to right field.

The Border Cats trimmed Waterloo's lead to 15-9, scoring five runs in the fifth inning and two more in the seventh. The Bucks responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh. Benton drove home one run on a triple down the left field line, then scored on a groundout by Boxwell.

Boxwell hit 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored. Benton went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored for the Bucks.

Thunder Bay scored the game's final run in the ninth, after recording three-straight, two-out singles.

Nate Spielvogel (2-3) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Spielvogel faced the minimum in two innings and allowed just one hit on the night.

UP NEXT: The Bucks begin their final regular-season road trip on Thursday (Aug. 11). They travel to Minnesota to open a two-game series against Willmar. Waterloo trails the Stingers by four games in the battle for the North Division's fourth and final playoff spot. In order for the Bucks to make the Northwoods League playoffs, they need to win their remaining four games and Willmar has to lose its last four games.

Story Contributor: Jared Schlensky - Waterloo Bucks​