Since the Woodchucks concluded the season on Sunday, much the same way as it started with a rain out, we figured it would be a good time to look back on the 2015 season! Here are some of the highlights from this summer, as determined by Jason Dorow, Broadcast and Media Relations Intern.
May 31 – Woodchucks Hit Five Home Runs to beat Loggers
It was just the fourth game of the season, but the Woodchuck offense performed at a peak level in the final game of May. Max Ponzurick and Ryan Howard each crushed two home runs, and LJ Hatch hit one homer as well. The Woodchucks recorded 10 hits at Athletic Park en route to a 9-2 victory.
June 3 – Oliva Goes 5-for-5 in Season Debut
Jared Oliva put together a huge game in his first game of the summer. The redshirt freshman from Arizona went 5-for-5 with two singles, two doubles and a grand slam. He also scored two runs, but the Chucks lost to the Kalamazoo Growlers 11-9 at Athletic Park.
July 1 – Dwyer Shuts Out Chinooks to Start Second Half
The Woodchucks finished the first half 12-23, but the month of July brought a fresh start with the second half of the season beginning. And the Chucks started it off hot. Dylan Dwyer threw eight and two thirds innings of shutout ball before Robert Zeigler entered and recorded the final out to secure a 3-0 win in Mequon.
July 9 – Weiss and Ponzurick Each Hit Two Bombs
The long ball proved to be the Woodchucks' greatest asset this season, and that was clearly the case in a game against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at Athletic Park in early July. Albee Weiss and Max Ponzurick each blasted two home runs, and Ponzurick's pair of homers were his final two of the season. He finished with eight home runs, eight doubles, and 22 RBI while leading the team in both batting average (.311) and slugging percentage (.613).
July 19 – Skapura Tosses Complete Game Shutout
Devin Skapura was untouchable during the month of July, giving up just four runs in over 36 innings. In the final game before the all-star break, the right-handed hurler from Texas A&M Corpus Christi pitched a complete game shutout in a 6-0 win at Kalamazoo. A Northwoods League Postseason All-Star Team selection, Skapura struck out nine hitters in the shutout, and the outing was part of a 22-inning scoreless streak for him on the mound.
July 24 – Woodchucks Cream Growlers 20-1
20 runs. 17 hits. Three home runs. No errors. What does that amount to? The fith largest margin of victory in Northwoods League history. The Woodchucks worked their way into the record books with this blowout win at home. Weiss, Yusuke Akitoshi and Mason Fishback all homered, and Simon Mathews got the win with five innings of shutout ball. The victory marked the seventh Woodchuck win in eight games, and the Chucks were right in contention in the south division, sitting in fourth place at 10-9 on the second half.
July 26 – The Five-Hour Game
The Woodchucks were setting all kinds of history in late July. Two nights after the 20-1 win, the Chucks played 14 innings against the Thunder Bay Border Cats at Athletic Park. The game lasted five hours and two minutes, making it the seventh longest contest in Northwoods League history. There werre a total of 34 hits in the game and 12 different pitchers. Eventually, the Border Cats edged the Chucks 13-9 to snap their four-game winning streak.
Now we head into the off season looking to start and complete Phase II of the Athletic Park renovation. Stay current with the progess by checking out woodchucks.com, our Facebook page, our Twitter profile and our Instagram profile.
