Wausau, WI – The Madison Mallards (24-20) weren’t able to overcome an early deficit in a 7-2 loss to the Wausau Woodchucks (29-16) on Thursday afternoon at Athletic Park.

Wausau wasted no time getting on the board. Noah Malone (Loyola Marymount University) opened the game with a leadoff homer, and Max Soliz (University of Kansas) added a two-run blast later in the inning to give the Woodchucks an early 3-0 advantage.

The Mallards began to chip away in the second, as MJ Sweeney (Wichita State University) hit a solo homer to cut the deficit to 3-1. One inning later, Mikey Bell (Gonzaga University) ripped an RBI double to bring Madison within a run at 3-2.

Jake Berkland (Minnesota State University) extended Wausau’s lead to 4-2 with an RBI single in the fourth, followed by a sacrifice fly from Christian Smith-Johnson (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) to make it 5-2. The Woodchucks added two more in the fifth and coasted to a 7-2 victory.

Hunter Jones (Central Florida Community College) picked up the win on the mound for the Woodchucks. Riley Peterson (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) was charged with the loss for the Mallards.

The second game of the doubleheader was postponed due to weather, and will be made up on Friday at Warner Park. The teams will play a single admission doubleheader beginning at 4:05 p.m. Both games will be seven innings, and Wausau will be the home team for the second game.