Woodchucks Drop Close Game in Madison
WAUSAU, WI- The game started off slowly, with no scoring being done in the first two and a half innings. The score was finally changed in the bottom of the 3rd, when Mallards first basemen Austin Blazevic hit a home run on the first pitch he saw to make the score 1-0. Despite loading the bases later in the inning, the Mallards failed to score again.
The Woodchucks responded immediately. The Chucks used a few walks by Mallards starter Brody Gibson to load the bases, and after being down in the count 0-2, Nolan Soliveres drew a bases loaded walk to tie up the game. Kenny Rodriguez came up next and delivered on an opposite field single that scored two more, making it a 3-1 ballgame.
The Mallards got one back in the bottom of the 4th. With two runners on the bases, EJ Ranel hit a single to center field to drive in Ryne Stanley. Greyson Fletcher got a huge final out in the inning by striking out the Mallards RBI leader Justice Bigbie to send us to the 5th.
Madison then retook the lead in the bottom of the 5th. After putting two men on with no outs, Greyson Fletcher was able to get the next two batters he saw, before Austin Blazevic hit a two-run single to give Madison the lead. EJ Ranel then hit a double to score another, and we headed to the top of the 6thdown 5-3.
The Woodchucks answered immediately. Chucks All-Star, Byron Murray was walked to begin the inning, and a double by Angel Tiburcio put Murray on 3rdbase. Mallards pitcher Aiden Tyrell threw a wild pitch that allowed Murray to score, making the score 5-4. Alec Arnone then singled to bring in Angel and tie the ballgame at 5-5.
Things quieted down for a few innings, until the Mallards struck back in the bottom of the 8th. After a leadoff single by Justice Bigbie, a couple of wild pitches from Nick Vanderhoef put him on 3rdbase, where he eventually scored on a Drew Williams sacrifice fly to give the Mallards a 6-5 lead going into the 9th.
The Woodchucks were able to put a baserunner on in the 9th, but were unable to bring him home. The Woodchucks drop the second game of the series to the Mallards 6-5, and fall to 1-3 to begin the second half.
Top Performers
Angel Tiburcio reached base three times, and had a double and a single.
Nick Vanderhoef was good in his first appearance for the Chucks. He pitched three innings, striking out two, and allowing just one run.
Next Up
The Wisconsin Woodchucks will stay on the road against the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders tomorrow on Sunday, July 7th at 1:05 PM. The Woodchucks will return home on Monday, July 8th to face the Dock Spiders at 6:35 PM. It will be Grandparents Night! Bring the grandkids and get half off tickets and $1.00 hot dogs. For tickets, call us at 715.845.5055, stop by our front office, or visit woodchucks.com.
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The Wisconsin Woodchucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 25-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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 200 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.woodchucks.comor download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Woodchucks as your favorite team.