FOND DU LAC, WI – As part of Hispanic Heritage Night, the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (26-23, 7-8) are set to become the Arañas de Muelle de Fond du Lac during tonight’s game against the Wausau Woodchucks (26-24, 9-5). Game-worn specialty jerseys from tonight’s game will be available for auction to benefit the Moraine Park Foundation. The first 500 fans will receive an Arañas de Muelle drawstring bag courtesy of Moraine Park Technical College. Coverage of tonight’s game begins at 6:30 p.m. before first pitch at 6:35 on the Northwoods League Baseball Network.
TODAY’S STORYLINES
IT’S BEEN A WHILE: Today’s game with the Woodchucks marks the first meeting between the two teams since June 26, when the Dock Spiders beat the Woodchucks 14-4 at Herr-Baker Field. That Sunday afternoon saw C Cole Messina post a career-high seven-RBI game. The Woodchucks enter today a half-game behind the Dock Spiders for the second-best overall record in the division. If the Rafters win the second-half Great Lakes West Division title, the next-best overall record would make the playoffs. Entering today, the Woodchucks are 1.5 games back of the Rafters, with a 9-5 record in the second half.
NOCHE DE LAS Arañas: During tonight’s game, the Dock Spiders will transform into the Arañas de Muelle de Fond du Lac in honor of Hispanic Heritage Night. The Dock Spiders will wear special alternate jerseys and hats that will be available through an auction to benefit the Moraine Park Foundation. Arañas de Muelle is the Spanish translation of Dock Spiders and has served as an alternate identity for the Dock Spiders over the past two years.
EVAN SMITH, hero: For the third consecutive game, the Dock Spiders went into extras, this time winning on a walk-off from OF Evan Smith in the 10th inning. His one-out double to the wall in right scored 1B Andrew Rivas to give the Dock Spiders a 2-1 win over the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. The walk-off was the first of the season for the Dock Spiders, and their first since August 13, 2021, against the Wausau Woodchucks. That night, SS Nick Terrell lined a two-RBI single to give the Dock Spiders an 8-7 win in 11 innings.
THAT BALL IS CRUSHED: INF Branden Comia smashed a game-tying 411′ home run on Friday night, the farthest home run hit by a Dock Spiders player in 2022. Comia’s home run was the third-farthest in the Northwoods League this year and came off the bat at 99 MPH. The home run was also the farthest hit by a Dock Spiders player this year. In the next at-bat, OF Kemp Alderman lined a single to left at 111 MPH, the sixth-hardest hit ball in the NWL this year. This season, Comia leads the Dock Spiders with a 57% Hard-Hit Percentage, which measured the percent of batted balls with an exit velocity above 95 MPH.
SO MANY EXTRAS: Friday night’s game marked the third straight extra innings game for the Dock Spiders, and continued a season-long streak of only one team scoring in extra innings. In their five extra-inning games, the Dock Spiders are 3-2, with their first walk-off of the year coming on Friday. The Dock Spiders have played three 10-inning games, one 11-inning game, and one that went into the 12th, at Lakeshore on June 10.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP
RHP JOSH CULLIVER (FDL) goes for the Dock Spiders after he tied his season-high with four innings pitched on July 12 against the Madison Mallards. Over his last two starts, Culliver has allowed three runs over eight innings with nine strikeouts.
RHP AIDAN MAJOR (WAU) makes his sixth start of the year for the Woodchucks. In his last appearance against the Dock Spiders on June 12, Major allowed one run over four innings of work. Today marks his third road start of the year.
