Although winter officially begins one month from now and Thanksgiving is just over a week away, the Waterloo Bucks are already making plans for their 26th season of Northwoods League baseball.

The team announced its 2020 schedule on Tuesday. As in recent years, the 72-game slate features 36 home games at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo.

The season-opener for the Bucks is set for Tuesday, May 26 against the La Crosse Loggers. Waterloo is scheduled to play 15 home games the first half of the season, which ends on Tuesday, June 30. The Bucks have 21 second-half home games, including their regular season finale against the Rochester Honkers on Sunday, Aug. 9. The second half of the season starts with a road game against the St. Cloud Rox on July 1.

For the fourth consecutive year, the 2020 season will feature another day-night home doubleheader in Waterloo. On Monday, July 13, the Bucks will play the Mankato MoonDogs in a split twinbill. The 11:05 AM and 6:35 PM games are part of a six-game, five-day homestand, which is the team's longest of the summer.

Breaking down the Bucks' home schedule, eight games are scheduled to be played at Riverfront Stadium on Sunday, six on Monday, four on Tuesday, two on Wednesday, four on Thursday, five on Friday and seven on Saturday. The home dates include Flag Day on Friday, June 14, the team's traditional Father’s Day game on Sunday, June 21 and Independence Day on Saturday, July 4.

General Manager Dan Corbin says team officials are in the initial stages of putting together a promotional schedule, but he confirmed that Buck nights will be coming back again on Monday nights. He anticipates the return of other popular promotions, including Military Heroes Night on July 4, "Star Wars" Night, and the Pink Out Night to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

Eight fireworks nights were announced Tuesday, along with the schedule. Fireworks will be shot off after the game on Monday, June 1, and following each Saturday home game in 2020.

Casey Harms / Courtesy: Waterloo Bucks
Casey Harms / Courtesy: Waterloo Bucks
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"Although we haven't announced it yet, (Santa Barbara City College Associate Head Coach) Casey Harms will be returning for the 2020 season," Corbin said. "He's been hard at work with the front office in putting together the team since the end of July or middle of August. Right now, of the 30 roster spots available, we have 26 or 27 of them filled."

Harms guided the Bucks to the Great Plains East Division first-half championship and a berth in the NWL playoffs this past season, his first as skipper of the club. The playoff appearance was the first for Waterloo since 2013.

Game times for the 2020 home dates are as follows (all times Central):

Monday – Saturday: 6:35 PM
Sunday: 2:05 PM
Tuesday, June 30: 11:05 AM
Monday, July 13: 11:05 AM (Game One of Split-Doubleheader)
Sunday, August 9: 1:05 PM

To view schedule: CLICK HERE.

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