by John Baldridge/Fond du Lac Dock Spiders

MADISON, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders dropped a nailbiter to Madison on Wednesday at Warner Park, losing 6-5. A run in the ninth inning secured Madison’s victory. With this loss, the Dock Spiders moved to 15-26 overall and 2-6 in the second half of the season.

RHP Noah Wech (Oklahoma State) started for the Dock Spiders, allowing two hits and five walks over the first four innings. Despite the walks, Wech managed to work out of trouble, stranding Madison runners in scoring position in each of the first four innings.

In the fifth inning, the Dock Spiders took the lead after a leadoff double from Travis Strickler (Embry-Riddle). Two batters later, a single from Drew Prosek (Gulf Coast State) brought in Strickler, making the score 1-0.

The Dock Spiders added to their lead in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly to center field by Travis Strickler, which scored Drew Barragan (Embry-Riddle) and made the score 2-0.

Madison got on the board in the sixth inning due to an error on a ball hit by Agustin Gutierrez (California Irvine) to second base, which allowed a run to score and ended Noah Wech’s start. Wech went 5.2 innings, allowing four hits, no earned runs, five walks, and striking out eight while throwing 108 pitches—the most by a Dock Spiders pitcher this season. RHP Noah Tschopp (Embry-Riddle) came on in relief, and Madison tallied a single, back-to-back doubles, a walk, and a passed ball, bringing in runs and giving Madison a 5-2 lead. 

In the eighth inning, the Dock Spiders climbed back, putting three runs across with an RBI single from Tyler Neises (Georgia Tech) that made the score 5-3. Two batters later, after a wild pitch, a ground ball by Travis Strickler brought in Drew Barragan with a fielder’s choice, and the next batter, Caden Shapiro (Princeton) hit an RBI flyout to center field that brought in Tyler Neises, tying the game at five.

In the bottom of the eighth, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and another walk by Noah Tschopp with two outs loaded the bases and ended Tschopp’s outing. The Dock Spiders brought in RHP Townsend Stevenson (Washington University in St. Louis) with the bases loaded and two outs. On the first pitch Stevenson threw, Connor Capece (Creighton) hit a ground ball to the pitcher, and Stevenson had no play, allowing Frankie Carney (California Irvine) to score the game-winning run for Madison, resulting in a 6-5 Madison victory.

The Dock Spiders are back in action on Thursday for a doubleheader at Lakeshore, with the first pitch for game one scheduled for 11:35 p.m, and game two scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

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