Austin Stadler threw 58 pitches through 5 innings of work to retire every Chinook batter he faced as the Wisconsin Woodchucks shutdown the Lakeshore Chinooks 5-1 Friday night.  Stadler, who was making his third start of the season after having Tommy John surgery in May 2011, retired all 15 Chinook batters he faced.  Chinooks starting pitcher Tim Verthein (UW-La Crosse) didn’t fair as well, taking the loss after giving up 2 runs in the second inning off 3 hits.

Verthein gave up a lead-off double to Brendon Hayden, who would eventually score along with Nate Irving to put the Woodchucks up 2-0.  Verthein managed the Woodchuck bats after that, scattering 3 hits without allowing another run before exiting after 6 innings. 

“(Stadler) was throwing a perfect game and I was having to come out of the dugout every couple minutes.  I didn’t really get the rest I usually get.  I usually prefer more of a sprint than a marathon,” commented a noticeably drained Verthein.  “(Stadler) was doing his job, keeping me tired and out of gas pretty much after the fifth inning.”

Cody Peterson (Madison College) took over on the mound for the Chinooks in the seventh and allowed 3 runs off 2 hits.  Peterson gave up a lead off single to designated hitter Joe Luvisi before Bryant Munoz reached on a catcher obstruction call.  A hit batter and error by Peterson on a throw to first culminated in the seventh inning breakdown for the Chinooks.

Down 5-0 and after Woodchucks pitchers retired 19 batters in a row, Forrest Chadwick (Southern Maine) ended the shutout with a 1-out triple to the right field fence off Woodchuck reliever Brett Higginbotham.  Brian Anderson (Arkansas) followed with an RBI groundout to score the Chinooks first run of the game.

“Number one, we got to give (the Woodchuck) pitching staff some of the credit,” said Head Coach John Vodenlich.  “We have to do better of course, but you have to give them some credit.”

Both bullpens pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings and the Chinooks could never rally back from the 5-run frying the Woodchucks dipped them in on Fish Fry Friday at Kapco Park.

The Chinooks are on the road this weekend before returning for their final home stand of the year next week Tuesday through Thursday.