Woodchucks Outslugged by Lakeshore

WAUSAU, WI – On a Friday night with postgame fireworks at Athletic Park, fans were treated to plenty of offensive fireworks between the Wisconsin Woodchucks and Lakeshore Chinooks.

Unfortunately for the Chucks, they found themselves on the short of the high-scoring bout, being unable to dig out of an early hole and falling 15-7.

For the second night in a row, the Woodchucks took a first inning lead after Lakeshore struck in the top of the first. Stephen Reid’s routine two-out fly ball fell in left field, scoring Kevin Kilpatrick. Reid then scored to make it 2-1 off the bat off Ben McCabe’s double to the right field fence.

The Woodchucks are now 30-20 overall and 9-6 in the second half of the Northwoods League season. A four-game winning streak ended in the Wisconsin loss.

The Chinooks’ second-inning, six-run crooked number saw them retake a lead that quickly ballooned to five runs.

The Chucks gave themselves life in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 7-5 after a Gino Groover two-run double and a Kilpatrick sacrifice fly.

But a solo home run and a grand slam for Lakeshore in the fifth quickly allowed them to stretch the margin to 12-5. They added another in the sixth off a fielder’s choice before the Woodchucks scored off RBIs from Reid and McCabe.

Another solo home run came off a Lakeshore bat in the ninth before they added an additional run off a wild pitch.

Starting pitcher Dante Chirico picked up the loss for Wisconsin in two innings pitched.

Two Woodchucks Return

Two Woodchucks returned to the roster after being resigned by the club. Clayton Mehlbauer was in the lineup at shortstop for the first time since June 15 at Lakeshore. He was joined in the middle infield by second baseman Noah Fitzgerald, playing for the first time since June 22.

Top Performers

Groover was 1-2 with a double, two walks and two RBI.

Reid went 2-5 with a run and two RBI.

McCabe was 2-4 with two RBI, a walk and double.

Mehlbauer went 2-4 with a walk and a run.

Cade Denton and Shane Telfer each threw an inning; neither allowed an earned run.

Next Up

The Woodchucks embark on a four-game road stretch with two-game series against the Madison Mallards and Green Bay Booyah. They return to Athletic Park July 29 for a doubleheader against the Booyah, with a Game 1 first pitch set for 5:05 p.m.

Don’t miss Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act during the twin bill! Be amazed by Tyler as he balances everything from your concessions items to chairs on his chin! Presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts.

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 27-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.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Woodchucks as your favorite team.