FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (33-28, 14-13) travel to Green Bay for the final time this season to take on the Green Bay Rockers (23-38, 13-12) at Capital Credit Union Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with coverage beginning at 6:20 on the Dock Spiders Radio Network.
TODAY’S STORYLINES
THE HIT KING: With an infield single in the first inning on Wednesday night, OF Nick Mitchell tallied his 78th hit of the year, a new Dock Spiders single-season franchise record. Mitchell broke INF Chandler Simpson’s record of 77, set during the 2021 season. He would go on to tally two more hits on the night, including an RBI single to bring home his 46th RBI of the year, the second-most in a single season in franchise history. The Western Illinois outfielder has recorded a hit in 44 of 53 games played this summer and has recorded multiple hits in 24. Mitchell has already set the single-season franchise record for triples (7), runs (65), and at-bats (216).
SOJKA’S MAGIC: OF Andrew Sojka continued his historic second-half with a 2-4 night on Wednesday that included a triple to right that was recorded at 103 MPH off the bat. Entering today, Sojka has a .410/.490/.723 slash line with 14 extra-base hits in 103 plate appearances. If the season ended today, Sojka would set a new single-season franchise record for average (.410), on-base percentage (.490), slugging percentage (.723), and OPS (1.213). Sojka has recorded a hit in 20 of 22 appearances for the Dock Spiders since joining the team on July 6.
ROCKING THE ROCKERS: Today’s game marks the second-to-last game between the Dock Spiders and Green Bay Rockers this season, and the final game between the two at Capital Credit Union Park. In 10 games against the Rockers, the Dock Spiders have scored 63 runs (6.3 per game) and have launched seven home runs and 27 extra-base hits. 1B Kemp Alderman (6-15, 2 2B, 3B) and OF Nick Mitchell (12-37, HR, 6 RBI) have both helped lead the Dock Spiders offense to a 6-4 record against the Rockers.
RECORD DEMOLITION MONTH: Coming into today, the Dock Spiders are 22 runs away from breaking the Northwoods League record for the most runs scored in a single season (475). The record was set in 2017 by the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters and matched in 2019 by the Bismarck Larks. To break the record, the Dock Spiders would need to average at least 2.2 runs over their final 10 games.
PATH TO THE PLAYOFFS: If the season ended today, the Dock Spiders would make the playoffs, as they enter today with the second-best overall record in the Great Lakes West Division. They are two games ahead of the Lakeshore Chinooks and three games ahead of the Wausau Woodchucks with 10 games remaining. 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, which the Dock Spiders currently hold.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHING MATCH-UP
RHP GABE STOTLER (FDL) is set to make his first start of the summer, and his first start since May 5, 2022, at West Chester as a member of Shippensburg. Stotler has made two multi-inning appearances for the Dock Spiders, both out of the bullpen.
RHP TOMMY LEONZI (GB)will make his third appearance and second start for the Rockers. Last time out, in a start against the Lakeshore Chinooks, Leonzi allowed three runs on six hits over four innings.
