FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (27-25, 8-10) are set to take on the Green Bay Rockers (19-32, 9-7) on Tuesday night at Capital Credit Union Park in Green Bay. The Dock Spiders finished up their home-stand on Monday with a win over the Rockers, including a season-high 16 strikeouts from the pitching staff. First pitch for tonight’s game is slated for 6:35 p.m. and coverage starts at 6:20 on the Dock Spiders Radio Network.
TODAY’S STORYLINES
MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE: Tonight’s game marks the first of three games over the next four days at Capital Credit Union Park against the Green Bay Rockers. The Dock Spiders will return home after today to play the Madison Mallards in a doubleheader before heading back on the road for a two-game set with Green Bay. The Dock Spiders are 2-0 at Capital Credit Union Park this year, outscoring Green Bay 19-11 over that span. During the two games, the Dock Spiders have hit three home runs, including one from OF Nick Mitchell, his only homer of the season.
THE CENTURY MARK: The Dock Spiders enter today one stolen base away from reaching the 100-mark in a season for the second time in franchise history. In 2021, the Dock Spiders stole a Northwoods League record 235 bases over the 72-game season. This year, the Dock Spiders have stolen 99 bases over the first 53 games. The franchise record before 2021 was 83, set in 2018. OF Nick Mitchell (13), SS Jackson Loftin (13), and C/INF Parker Noland (10) are the three Dock Spiders this season to record at least 10 stolen bases this season.
RECAPPING THE HOME-STAND: Today marks the first road game for the Dock Spiders since the All-Star break. Over the five-game home-stand, the Dock Spiders went 2-3 and won games against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters and the Green Bay Rockers. The win against the Rafters was the first walk-off win of the season for the Dock Spiders. Over that span, OF Andrew Sojka helped lead the offense with a 7-12 home-stand with a home run and two RBI. INF Branden Comia also excelled at the plate, going 5-14 with two home runs and nine RBI.
STRIKEOUTS FOR ALL: The Dock Spiders pitching staff struck out 16 Rockers hitters on Monday night, the most they’ve recorded in a game this year. RHP Kenny Campbell struck out four in a start and was followed by four more from RHP Nate Leibold, who picked up the win. RHP Noah Magee earned the save, and struck out each of the final five outs, working around three different baserunners in the ninth with three strikeouts.
MAKING THE PLAYOFFS: The Dock Spiders currently have two different avenues to make the 2022 Northwoods League Playoffs. If the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters win the second-half title in the Great Lakes West Division, the next best overall record in the division would get the second playoff spot. The Dock Spiders can also win the division title in the half to wrap up their fourth playoff appearance in franchise history (since 2017). Currently, the Dock Spiders are in a three-way tie with the Lakeshore Chinooks and the Wausau Woodchucks for the second-best overall record in the division. The Rafters currently lead the Great Lakes West by two games over Wausau in the second half.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCH-UP
RHP CONNOR McKENNA (FDL) is set to make his first start in a Dock Spiders uniform since August 15, 2021 at Madison. The Truman State product joined the Dock Spiders roster today after he broke the Bulldogs’ program record for career strikeouts this past spring with 178.
RHP JACKSON BRISCOE (GB) makes his second appearance on the summer after he allowed two runs over two innings at Madison on July 14. Briscoe is the oldest player in the NWL this year at 26. The righty was born on September 25, 1995.