FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac DOck Spiders (30-27, 11-12) welcome in the Wausau Woodchucks (29-28, 12-9) on Saturday night at Herr-Baker Field. The first 500 fans are set to recieve an Andrew Bullock t-shirt sponsored by Horicon Bank. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+ before first pitch at 6:35.

TODAY’S STORYLINES

RISE TO THE TOP: C Cole Messina enters today with a 19-game on-base streak, the second-longest streak by a Dock Spiders player this year. Over that stretch, starting on June 30 against Kalamazoo, Messina has a slash line of .397/.507/.569 with two home runs and 15 RBI. During that span, he has raised his average by 75 points and his on-base percentage by 70.

SAWYER’S SWING: On Friday night, Dock Spiders INF Sawyer Smith tied his career-high with four hits during a 4-5 night against the Green Bay Rockers. His four hits tied the career-high set on June 16, 2022, at Johnson Creek as a member of the Waukesha Foxes in the Dairyland Collegiate League. Smith’s final hit was a double off his St. Cloud State teammate Easton Vertz. Smith joined OF Nick Mitchell (3), INF Branden Comia (1), and C/INF Parker Noland (1) as one of four Dock Spiders to tally a four-hit game this year.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS: Entering today, the Dock Spiders are 24 runs away from breaking the franchise record for the most runs in a single season, set in 2017 at 426. If the season ended today, OF Andrew Sojka would be in sole possession of the highest single-season batting average in team history at .400 (min. 80 PA). INF Branden Comia and C Cole Messina are currently tied for the sixth-most home runs in a season at five. OF Nick Mitchell is tied with OF Eric Gilgenbach for the third-most RBI in a single season (38) and is eights hits away from breaking the single-season hits record, set at 77 by INF Chandler Simpson in 2021.

WELCOME BACK BULLOCK: Tonight, the Dock Spiders celebrate former 1B/OF Andrew Bullock, who is one of two Dock Spiders in franchise history to spend four years with the team. Bullock helped the Dock Spiders capture a Northwoods League title in 2018 and 2020. Over his Northwoods League career, Bullock appeared in 185 games for Fond du Lac with a .297/.377/.425 slash line, and hit 14 home runs.

PATH TO THE PLAYOFFS: If the season ended today, the Dock Spiders would make the playoffs. The Dock Spiders enter today with the second-best overall record in the Great Lakes West Division, a game ahead of the Woodchucks, and two games ahead of the Chinooks. If the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters win the second-half division title, then the final playoff spot in the division will go to the next-best overall record in the division. The Dock Spiders can make the playoffs by either winning the second-half division title or have the Rafters win the division while the Dock Spiders finish with the second-best overall record.

TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCH-UP

LHP AIDAN McEVOY (FDL) will make his second straight start against the Woodchucks after he allowed four runs on four hits over three innings last Sunday. In his last two starts, McEvoy has struck out nine over seven innings.

LHP NATE MEDEJ (WAU) is set to make his fifth start and eighth appearance of the year. Today will be his second consecutive start against the Dock Spiders after he allowed three runs and struck out five over 2.2 innings on Sunday. He has allowed at least three runs in each of his last four appearances.