FOND DU LAC, WI – After dropping two one-run games against the Lakeshore Chinooks on the road, the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (8-4) finish up their three-game road trip with a Sunday matinee against the Wausau Woodchucks (4-8) at Athletic Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m., with coverage set to begin on the Dock Spiders Radio Network at 12:50.
TODAY’S STORYLINES
CONTINUING THE ROAD TRIP: The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are back on the road in Wausau for a Sunday matinee game against the Woodchucks at Athletic Park. Fond du Lac is looking to break a two game losing streak after being swept in Mequon against the Lakeshore Chinooks. Wausau comes into today’s game after losing five of their last six, but split their most recent series at the Madison Mallards. The Dock Spiders sit in second place in the Great Lakes West Division while the Woodchucks are tied for fourth with the Chinooks. The two teams match up for the first time since the first two games of the year, which saw the Dock Spiders outscore the Woodchucks 21-4.
MEQUON FINALE: After a walk-off loss in 12 innings on Friday night the Dock Spiders came up short on Saturday against the Lakeshore Chinooks, falling 5-4. The Dock Spiders offense put the tying run on in three straight innings, but failed to tie the game, including putting a runner on with one out in the ninth. The bullpen, however, was terrific for the Dock Spiders. Rocky King, Reed Gallant and Alex Vera combined to allow one hit over 5.2 shutout innings, striking out four.
ANOTHER CLOSE ONE: Saturday night’s loss marked the seventh game of the year decided by three runs or less for the Dock Spiders. Out of their first 12 games, only five have been decided by more than three runs, with the Dock Spiders winning all five games. The Dock Spiders are now 3-4 in games decided by three or less, including four of the last five games.
TOMMY GOES YARD: Missouri Southern State product Tommy Stevenson went yard to left field in the sixth inning of Saturday’s game for his first home run of the summer. Stevenson smashed a career-high 16 home runs this spring after he set the then-freshman home run record at MSSU with 13 during the 2021 season. The home run was also his first extra-base hit of the season.
OUTFIELD CANNONS: After another outfield assist during Saturday night’s game at Lakeshore, the Dock Spiders tallied three outfield assists in the series. Nick Mitchell, Evan Smith and Stephen Schissler all tallied an assist during the series, including ones from Mitchell and Smith to prevent the game-winning runs from scoring during Friday’s game.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCH-UP
LHP AUSTIN WAGNER (FDL): Wagner looks to continue his dominant start to the year in an Opening Day rematch against the Woodchucks. He tossed six shutout innings in his first start of the year against Wausau, and has tallied seven strikeouts in each of his first two starts.
RHP DJ RADTKE (WAU): The Georgia Bulldog makes his third start of the year after failing to get out of the fifth inning in either start. Through 7.1 innings, he’s walked nine batters, tied for the 12th-most in the league out of all pitchers.
