Four games remain in first half with crucial final home game of the half Friday night at Capital Credit Union Park
Wausau, Wis.- Led by a seven-run top of the 11th inning, the Green Bay Rockers defeated the Wausau Woodchucks 13-7 Thursday night at Athletic Park, putting now just a half game back of Wausau in the Great Lakes West division heading into the final four games of the first half of the season.
The Rockers scored seven times in the 11th off RBIs from Jack Holman (UCLA), Kendal Ewell (Kentucky), and Kyle West (West Virginia), and along with several walks and wild pitches, Green Bay pulled away from Wausau late to even up the season series between the Woodchucks at 3-3 through the first six meetings of 2023.
With Thursday’s win, the Rockers sit a half game back of the Woodchucks for first place in the division with four games left in the first half this season, and will play their final home game of the first half Friday night at Capital Credit Union Park against the Lakeshore Chinooks at 6:35 p.m., looking to inch themselves closer to a potential playoff berth.
Green Bay started strong off the bat of West who knocked home an RBI single to score Kendal Ewell (Kentucky), giving the Rockers an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
The Rockers tacked on two more runs in the opening frame off an RBI single from Carlos Hernandez (Anderson University) and a run scoring play from Nainoa Cardinez (Hawaii) as they handed Green Bay a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
Christian Foutch (Arkansas) recorded three strikeouts in the bottom of the first to keep Wausau off the board, as his fastball kept the Woodchucks off balance early with the three K’s keeping Green Bay ahead 3-0 through the first inning of play.
The Woodchucks however tied things up at three apiece after two wild pitches brought home two Wausau runs, with an RBI double from Dalton Pearson (Georgia State) knotting the score at 3-3 entering the third inning at Athletic Park.
The tie score wouldn’t last long however as an RBI sacrifice fly from Hernandez put Green Bay back on top by one at 4-3 through three innings, following a scoreless bottom of the third from the Wausau offense.
After neither team put any runs across in the fourth, Wausau took their first lead of the night in the bottom of the fifth, courtesy of RBI singles from Drew Berkland (Minnesota) and Colin Brueggemann (Oklahoma State), as the two hits gave the Woodchucks a 5-4 lead going into the sixth inning, with the Rockers looking to respond quickly.
Despite the Rockers not scoring in the sixth frame, Cuyler Zukowski (Creighton) evened it up at 5-5 with a solo homer to straightaway center, as his first home run of the season gave Green Bay the tie ballgame heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Wausau took the lead back in the bottom of the seventh after an RBI single from Mike Maginnis (Georgia State) put the Woodchucks back on top 6-5 entering the eighth inning, as the Rockers looked to come back once in late innings.
The Rockers tied it up once more on an RBI single from JoJo Jackson (Georgia State) knotting the score at 6-6 heading into the bottom of the eighth, with Tyler Horvath on the mound for Green Bay.
After Tyler Horvath (Case Western Reserve) pitched a scoreless bottom of the eighth, the game headed into the ninth tied at six, and Horvath would look to send the contest to extras following a scoreless top of the ninth for Green Bay,
Horvath would do just that as a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth inning sent the game into a 10th inning, with the score still tied at 6-6 through nine innings in Wausau.
After each team went scoreless in the tenth, that set the stage for the seven-run frame for Green Bay in the 11th inning, as the RBI double from Holman first gave the Rockers a 7-6 lead, with the hits from Ewell and West scoring three runs and putting the Rockers up by four at 10-6.
Three more runs came across courtesy of a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch to cap off the seven-run inning for Green Bay, as they took a 13-6 lead entering the bottom of the 11th with the Woodchucks needing seven runs to force another frame.
However, the Woodchucks only scored once as Horvath finished the job by only allowing the one run in the bottom of the 11th, handing Green Bay their 18th win of the season.
Green Bay now returns home to take on the Lakeshore Chinooks Friday night at Capital Credit Union Park, with first pitch from Ashwaubenon set for 6:35 p.m.
Fans will be able to enjoy $4 beers and fireworks following the game Friday night, as the Rockers play their last home game of the first half with Green Bay just a half game out as they continue to fight for a first half crown.
Single game tickets are on sale now. Visit www.greenbayrockers.com or call the ticket office at 920-497-7225 to reserve your seats today. The Rockers front office and Team Apparel Fan Shop at Capital Credit Union Park are located at 2231 Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm.
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The Green Bay Rockers 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. Now in its’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 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 325 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 (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB 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 www.greenbayrockers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rockers as your favorite team.
