Honkers Get Blown Out by Waterloo, 13-1

After playing their best game of the season yesterday afternoon, the Honkers (2-4) put in their worst performance of the year, getting only one hit in a 13-1 loss to the Waterloo Bucks (5-2).

Honkers starter Erik Cha (L, 0-2) gave up only three runs, two earned with six strikeouts but he went only four innings for a second consecutive start. Cha gave up one in the second inning then two in the third.

In the fifth, the Bucks expanded their lead over the Honkers as they scored 4 runs off of reliever Ethan Kenkel with an RBI single by Adam McGinnis and then a three-run home run to right off the bat of shortstop Blake Alexander his second of the year. Kenkel gave up one more in the sixth to bring the score to 8-1.

In the seventh the Bucks scored four more off of a Honkers reliever, this time Jesse Ellefson (only one was earned). Ellefson served up a gopher ball to the first batter of hte inning Adam McGinnis, for his first of the year, then gave up a two-run double to leadoff man Taylor Boyd who was then driven in by first baseman Daniel Perry to make the score 12-1.

The Bucks tacked on one more on the first pitch out of the hand of Houston Glad in the ninth when Matthew Paciello hit a screaming line drive over the left field wall to make it 13-1.

The Honkers got their only hit in the third when Keaton Weisz lined a single through the right side. Their only run cam in the fourth and it almost wasn't a possibility.

Christopher Scalisi was initially called out at first on a groundout to short but after an argument made by Honkers manager Trevor Hairgrove, the umpires discussed the play and awarded first base as they declared that Waterloo first baseman Daniel Perry was pulled off the bag on Blake Alexander's throw. Scalisi then advanced to third on a pick-off attempt that was thrown away by Bucks pitcher Patrick Boyle, then scored on a Boyle wild pitch.

On the day Boyle went six innings striking out only one but walked three. The pen then worked three scoreless innings to seal the victory with Andrew Muehlberger allowing two base runners but striking out the side in the ninth.

The Honkers play in Waterloo tomorrow at 7:05.