By John Baldridge/Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
WAUSAU, WI After a one-hour and one-minute rain delay before the first pitch on Wednesday night in Wausau the Dock Spiders finally got underway in the third of four straight games against the Wausau Woodchucks. RHP Ethan Cole (Augustana) started for the Dock Spiders and went 5.0 innings and struck out nine batters but a late homer in the eighth inning for the Woodchucks by Deiten Lachance (McLennan CC) gave Wausau the 4-2 victory. Fond du Lac with the loss drops their third straight falling to 3-6, Wausau stays unbeaten improving to 9-0.
Wausau got the scoring started in the third inning after a single to Max Soliz Jr (Auburn) that started the inning, Soliz Jr got to second on a passed ball, and the next batter Jake Burkland (Minnesota State Mankato) singled to advance Soliz Jr to third and then Soliz Jr was driven in by a batter later Drew Berkland (Minnesota) with a single to give Wausau a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, the Dock Spiders would tie the score with a couple of two-out hits, the first by Drew Barragan (Embry-Riddle) to advance Tyler Stack (Xavier) to third base who reached on a fielder’s choice, The next batter after Barragan, Tyler Nieses (Georgia Tech) singled into right field bringing in Stack to tie the game at one.
Noah Tschopp (Embry-Riddle) took over in relief in the sixth inning after Ethan Cole went 5.0 innings in the start and allowed one run, two walks, and struck out nine. In Cole’s two starts this season, he has struck 18 batters in 10.0 innings of work. The first batter Tschopp faced Max Galvin (Oklahoma State) doubled to the right-center field gap, Galvin got to third on a sac-bunt from Jacob Haley with one out and scored a batter later on a wild pitch that gave Wausau a 2-1. The Dock Spiders tied the score in the eighth inning after a single from Kelsen Johnson (Polk State) a wild pitch advanced Johnson to third and a single from Parker Knoll off the pitcher’s leg allowed Johnson to score, deadlocking the game at two.
The lead wouldn’t stay tied long, after a hit by a batter allowed Jacob Haley (South Alabama) to reach with two out,, the first pitch to the next batter Deiten Lachance homer to left field with the rain falling to give Wausau a 4-2 lead. The Dock Spiders couldn’t get anything going in the ninth and went down to fall to Wausau by a final score of 4-2.
The Dock Spiders are back home Thursday for the fourth of four straight games against Wausau, first pitch is scheduled for 6:35. Tomorrow is also Hockey Night at Herr-Baker Field, and Pint Glass Giveaway for anyone 21 or older is presented by Busch Light.
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Entering its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 350 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit dockspiders.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Dock Spiders as your favorite team.