Wausau, WI – The Chinooks winning streak was snapped on Monday falling to the Wausau Woodchucks 7-6 on a walk-off single to center field. 

The Chinooks (14-15) continued their hot streak at the plate when they took a 2-0 lead in the second inning over the Woodchucks (14-15) when Marcus Cline brought in the first run off a double to right field. The Chinooks second run of the inning was brought in by the Chinooks base running on a ground ball to second base. 

Joseph Whitman (0-0, 3.07 ERA) got the start on the mound for the Chinooks. Whitman pitched five innings and allowed no runs on three hits. 

The bats slowed down for both teams until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Woodchucks bats ignited at the plate. The Chinooks new pitcher, Luke Llewellyn didn’t face the Woodchucks as they scored three runs on a double to left field and then took the lead 3-2 on a single to left field. 

George Klassen (0-0, 9.58 ERA) came in for the Chinooks in the seventh inning and went on to pitch one and a half innings. Klassen allowed two runs on two hits and had one strikeout. 

Garret Martin regained the lead for the Chinooks in the top of the eighth inning with a two-run home run giving the Chinooks a one run lead. Back-to-back-to-back walks for the chinooks loaded the bases. A hard-hit ball on the ground to short stop would score a run after shortstop bobbled in the delivery and the bases remained loaded. With no outs, the Chinooks soon found themselves in a 6-4 double play, but it brought home a run to take a 6-3 lead. 

Martin’s home run in the top of the eighth inning marked his seventh home run of the season and the teams’ number of home runs at 24. The Chinooks are ranked second in the league in homeruns.

The Woodchucks bats reignited at the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning. A lead off infield single, a single to center field and two stolen bases set the Woodchucks with two runners in scoring position. A fly ball to left field scored one run for the Woodchucks before another run came in to score on a wild pitch. Headed into the top of the ninth inning the Woodchucks had made it a one run ball game.  

Kanan Butler (1-2, 2.79 ERA) came in mid-way through the eighth inning for the Chinooks. Butler finished the game for the Chinooks allowing two runs on two hits. 

The Chinooks looked to add on insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning, but the Woodchucks pitcher Carter Heninger (3-1, 0.00 ERA) had other plans as he struck out all three of the Chinooks last batters out. 

Lakeshore was in need to hold the Woodchucks to avoid a walk off win but with a runner on second off a bunt to lead off the innings and a runner on first after a hit by pitch the Woodchucks just needed a base hit to the grass. Mark Shallenberger came to the rescue for the Woodchucks as he walked it off on a single to center field bringing in both runners and defeating the Chinooks 7-6. 

The Chinooks will be back at Wausau for game two of the series tomorrow. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m.