The Wausau Woodchucks (9-10) took the Traverse City Pit Spitters (8-11) to extra innings in an intense pitching duel on a beautiful Friday evening game. They would walk it off in the bottom of the 11th with a score of 4-3.
It was a quiet game with only a handful of hits until the fourth inning when the Pit Spitters scored two runs in the top of the inning. The Woodchucks wouldn’t let them get away with it, though, as they added a run in the bottom of the 5th inning with a smashed home run by Brock Watkins (BYU). The Woodchucks would threaten with Cal Hezja (Illinois), but he wouldn’t score before the end of the inning.
Jack Wenninger (Illinois) pitched five fantastic innings recording 5 strikeouts in his third start for the Chucks. Kevin Kilpatrick (Houston) smashes a single to centerfield to give the Woodchucks their first base runner in the bottom of the 6th. He steals second and third, but the Chucks wouldn’t be able to bring him in to score.
Watkins started the Woodchucks off with a bang in the bottom of the 7th inning by driving a double to the centerfield wall. Brent Widder (Evansville) would advance the second baseman to third on a sacrificial fly, and Camden Janik (Illinois) would bring in the RBI with another sac fly to tie the game 2-2.
The Chucks threatened in the bottom of the 9th as Watkins drove another double to right field, and Widder moved him to third yet again, but the Woodchucks would not be able to walk the game off in the bottom of the 9th.
The Pit Spitters bring the ghost runner in to score to start the 11th to give them a lead of 3-2. The Woodchucks ghost runner Hunter Dorraugh (San Jose State) slyly stole third and scored to tie the game on a wild pitch that fell to the backstop. Mark Shallenberger (Evansville) kept the momentum by smashing a double to right field. Zach Levenson was issued a walk to give the Woodchucks runners on 1st and 2nd. A wild pitch will advance both runners, and an intentional walk of Watkins will load the bases with one out. The Woodchucks would walk it off with a deep shot to left field by Watkins with a score of 4-3.
Up Next
The Chucks will remain at home to take on the Pit Spitters again on Saturday, June 18. Gates open at 5:05 PM with first pitch at 6:05. Chucks players will be wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off to raise money for Aspirus Safe Kids. Tickets can be purchased online at https://wausau-woodchucks.nwltickets.com/ or by calling 715.845.5055.