WATERLOO -- The Waterloo Bucks are cutting it thin to win.

While edging La Crosse, 1-0, Monday in their third straight one-run win over the Loggers, the red-hot Bucks closed within a half-game of the Northwoods League's South Division lead.

Starter Cam Nobles was masterful in giving Waterloo its second 1-0 shutout of La Crosse in three games, while a solo home run by Alex Sofranac gave him the only run support he required.

Nobles, a sophomore righthander from the University of Washington, struck out six and allowed only two infield singles over seven innings while improving his summer season record to 4-2.

"It was one of those nights where all three pitches were working," Nobles said.

"I just tried to throw strikes and let the defense work behind me, and with Alex's home run, it was a big win for the ballclub."

Waterloo's dynamic duo in the pen, James Jones and Bob Lackovic, has finished off all three wins over La Crosse. Monday, they completed the two-hitter with two perfect innings.

"Our pitching staff has been unbelievable," said Waterloo manager Pete Lauritson. "We've had guys going six or seven innings giving up no runs or one run, and we've got the best bullpen in the league. Any time you can hand the ball over to our bullpen, we're going to win ballgames."

The wins have been stacking up for a club that finished the first half of the season in sixth place and spent a big chunk of the summer without a home ballpark. Now 15-12 in the second half, the Bucks trail first-place Wisconsin by half a game.

"This is a lot of fun right now," Lauritson said. "The guys are competing at the highest level they have all summer."

Waterloo has won eight of its past 11 games, racking up four one-run victories and three shutouts during that span.

The close games have provided plenty of opportunities for heroics, and Sofranac's homer, a depth charge to right-center off La Crosse ace Cole Green in the fourth inning, gave him the winning RBI in two straight games.

"This is an experience that I'll probably never have again," Sofranac said, before re-thinking his statement. "Well, hopefully I will. It's been a blast."

Sofranac and the Bucks got to one of the top pitchers in the league. The loss was the first against five victories for University of Texas freshman Cole Green, who came in with a 1.34 earned run average. Waterloo managed only four hits -- two apiece by Sofranac and Jones -- but stranded 13 runners on the basepaths.

The teams meet again tonight in a 7:05 game at Riverfront Stadium.

Buck snorts

Slapping leather: Waterloo came up with a few defensive gems Monday. Catcher Zach Jones threw out two baserunners to help Nobles out of a jam in the third inning, and the game ended on a fine charge-and-throw by Chad Barnhill and stretch by James Jones.

Fashion plates: The Bucks expanded their color palette with bright, pastel jerseys worn to promote The Isle Casino and Hotel.

"We wear yellow and blue, but they brought us something that was like baby-blue with purple and yellow," said outfielder Joey Register. "It was kind of shocking to see them, but they must have been good-luck jerseys because we got a win out of them."

Un-Registered: Register, the team's leading run-producer, sat out his second straight game with a sore hamstring, and was unsure whether he'll play tonight.

Melton injured: The Loggers were playing with heavy hearts after learning of a serious injury to All-Star infielder Derek Melton during Sunday's day off. A senior at Evansville, Melton was injured in a swimming accident on the Mississippi River. The team was unable to provide further details. The Bucks will be collecting donations to help with his medical costs at tonight's game.

Contact Brian Pals at brian.pals@wcfcourier.com

La Crosse ab r h bi Waterloo ab r h bi

Polk,lf 2 0 0 0 Irvine,3b 5 0 0 0

Toole,2b 2 0 0 0 Giller,rf-1b 2 0 0 0

Vaughn,cf 4 0 0 0 J.Jones,1b-p 4 0 2 0

Elder,rf 4 0 0 0 Z.Jones,c 3 0 0 0

Helenhihi,3b 4 0 0 0 Rogers,lf 3 0 0 0

Gaynor,1b 4 0 0 0 Resnick,2b 4 0 0 0

Pascoe,dh 3 0 0 0 Sofranac,cf 3 1 2 1

Rundgren,ss 2 0 1 0 Burnhill,ss 1 0 0 0

Hoime,c 3 0 1 0 Lang,dh 1 0 0 0

Campbell,rf 1 0 0 0

Totals 28 0 2 0 Totals 27 1 4 1

La Crosse 000 000 000 ï½ 0 2 1

Waterloo 000 100 000 ï½ 1 4 0

E ï½ Hoime. LOB ï½ La Crosse 6, Waterloo 13.

2B ï½ J. Jones; HR ï½ Sofranac (2). SB ï½ Polk, Toole 2, Z. Jones. CS ï½ Hoime. PO ï½ Rundgren. SH ï½ Burnhill.

Pitching summary IP H R ER BB SO

La Crosse

Green (L, 5-1) 6.1 4 1 1 4 6

Sale 1.2 0 0 0 3 3

Waterloo

Nobles (W, 4-2) 7.0 2 0 0 4 6

J. Jones 1.1 0 0 0 0 3

Lackovic (S, 9) 0.2 0 0 0 0 1

WP ï½ Sale. PB ï½ Hoime 2, Z. Jones. HBP ï½ (by Green) Burnhill; (by Nobles) Toole.

U ï½ Andrew Adams (plate), Tyler Black. T ï½ 2:42. A ï½ 2,048.