Four-hit game from JoJo Jackson (Georgia State) leads Green Bay to victory Tuesday night
Wausau, Wis.- The Green Bay Rockers defeated the Wausau Woodchucks 8-3 Tuesday night at Athletic Park, in which they scored six unanswered runs over the final five innings of offense to give themselves the series split with the Woodchucks.
Along with Jackson’s four hits, a three-RBI bases clearing double from Cuyler Zukowski (Creighton) gave Green Bay a 5-3 lead in the sixth inning, and the Rockers would never let the Woodchucks come back in the later innings, picking up their 25th win of the season in the process.
After each team went scoreless in the top of the first to start off the night, Wausau struck first in the bottom of the second on an RBI sacrifice fly from Michael Maginnis (Georgia State) and an RBI single from Jake English (Kansas), as the two RBIs handed Wausau an early 2-0 lead through two innings of play.
Following a scoreless bottom of the third from starting pitcher Grayson Walker (Dickinson College) on the hill, Walker continued cruising along in the fourth as even with the Rockers not scoring through the first four innings offensively, Green Bay still managed to stay in it entering the fifth courtesy of back-to-back scoreless frames from Walker.
The Rockers evened it up 2-2 in the top of the fifth off an RBI sacrifice fly from Austin Fawley (Kentucky) and a wild pitch scoring Nainoa Cardinez (Hawaii), and the Rockers therefore tied the game at two apiece halfway through the contest at Athletic Park.
The Woodchucks responded in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single from Brent Widder (Evansville), but a 6-4-3 double play turned by the Rockers defense kept the Woodchucks further off the board as they had just a 3-2 lead going into the sixth inning.
Cuyler Zukowski (Creighton) handed Green Bay their first lead of the night on a three-RBI double to right-center field, with his bases clearing hit giving the Rockers a 5-3 advantage heading into the seventh, after Luke Moeller (Arizona) pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth.
Jackson tacked on one more run in the seventh on an RBI single to right field, as his third hit of the night handed Green Bay a 6-3 lead with the game approaching the eighth at Athletic Park.
After Michael Riley (Gateway Community College) threw a scoreless bottom of the eighth inning on the mound, two RBI groundouts from Cardinez and Mateo Matthews (Wagner College) extended their lead to 8-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth with Riley needing three more outs to secure the victory.
Riley pitched a scoreless bottom of the ninth to seal the deal for Green Bay, giving them the series split with Wausau in the final meeting at Athletic Park during the regular season.
Green Bay will play in their second scheduled doubleheader of the season Wednesday when they take on the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at Witter Field. First pitches in Wisconsin Rapids are set for 11:35 a.m. and 6:35 p.m.
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.
###
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.
