Cottrell to pitch for Waterloo Bucks tonight

Ramblers star pitcher Ben Cottrell has been added to the roster of the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League. Cottrell will take the mound tonight for the Bucks in the second game of a doubleheader against the Battle Creek Bombers at Riverfront Stadium in Waterloo.

According to the Northwoods League website: "The Northwoods League is a summer baseball league comprised of teams of the top college players from across the nation and North America. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. Players are not paid (this preserves their NCAA eligibility)."

The Waterloo Bucks' roster includes college players from the University of Iowa, the University of Illinois, LSU, Butler and Wartburg.

Cottrell, a semi-pro all-star this season, leads Key West with a 9-2 record and a 2.54 ERA in 67.1 innings. For Loras College this past season, Cottrell threw 24.1 innings and posted a 4.81 ERA with 23 strike outs.

The Northwoods League gives players such as Cottrell the opportunity to showcase their skills to a wider audience and gain exposure. Current major leaguers Andre Ethier, Curtis Granderson, Juan Pierre and Josh Willingham at one time played in the league.