WAUSAU MAKES HISTORY BY SCORING 29 AGAINST WISCONSIN RAPIDS, 13 IN ONE INNING IN LANDSLIDE WIN

WAUSAU, WI— Saturday, June 6, 2026 will go down as a historic day at Athletic Park forever.

The Wausau Woodchucks broke the Northwoods League record by scoring 29 runs, the most ever in a Northwoods League game. The Woodchucks did so with 23 hits, four home runs, and seven extra base hits, in a 29-2 blowout over Wisconsin Rapids.

The bats were red hot all night long, as the Woodchucks scored 13 of their runs in the eighth inning, and eight in the second inning. Wausau’s Ryan Chase (Santa Fe CC/Kansas) went 4-5 with seven RBI, the most for a Woodchuck in a game this season. Kyler Northrop (Washington State) went 4-6 and hit his first collegiate home run, while collecting two RBI. Jace Souza (Texas Tech) went 2-4 and hit a grand slam to break the record for runs scored in the Northwoods League.

The pitching also performed. Tyson Potts (Central Michigan) earned his first win of the summer with six innings of work in a quality outing, collecting seven strikeouts. Michäel Bizier (Dodge City CC), Adam Wade (Arkansas State) and Reece Clapp (Illinois State) each threw a scoreless inning in relief.

These are the 11 hitters who stepped to the plate tonight and helped make history: Chris Patterson, Joey McLaughlin, Ryan Chase, Jace Souza, Dylan LaPointe, Kyler Northrop, Dawson Harman, Holden Groebl, Caleb Danzeisen, Caleb Karll, and Brayden Mazzacano.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

The Woodchucks got their record-breaking night started in the first, thanks to an RBI double from Ryan Chase and an RBI single from Dylan LaPointe (Mercer). Then, Wausau added on with eight more runs in the second inning, highlighted by a solo home run from Dawson Harman (South Carolina), a two-RBI double from Holden Groebl (Cowley CC/Kansas) and an RBI double from Dylan LaPointe. At that point, it was already 10-0.

After the Rafters scored twice in the fourth, Wausau got the 10-run lead back with two runs in the bottom half, one of them courtesy of an RBI single from Caleb Danzeisen. Then, in the sixth, three more runs came home, on infield RBI singles from Dawson Harman and Ryan Chase, and a bases loaded walk from Jace Souza. Kyler Northrop hit his first collegiate home run into left-center field in the seventh inning, which made the score 16-2.

What happened in the eighth inning was nothing short of remarkable. Wausau scored 13 total runs, on eight hits, including two home runs in the inning from Ryan Chase and Jace Souza, with Souza hitting a grand slam to break the record for total runs scored in a Northwoods League game. Wausau had 13 consecutive hitters reach base, taking five free passes as well in the frame.

NOTES AND NUMBERS 

• The Woodchucks broke a team record for runs scored in a game, and league record for runs scored in a game and largest margin of victory in a game. The old record for runs scored was on July 26, 2020, when the Rockford Rivets knocked off the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders, 28-7. The old record for total runs scored for Wausau in a game was 23, on July 22, 2022, when the Woodchucks beat the Kalamazoo Growlers (who would go on to win the Northwoods League title that year), 23-5.
• Ryan Chase skyrocketed to 17 RBI on the season, which ties him for the league lead in runs driven in this season.
• The Woodchucks now lead the Northwoods League with 12 home runs hit on the season.
• Woodchuck bat kid “Henry” became a fan favorite, breaking the record for most bats picked up in a single inning with 13 in the eighth inning. Players are crediting him for helping them break the record.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Woodchucks emphatically move to 8-4 on the season. With Madison’s win over Green Bay tonight, the Woodchucks reclaim sole possession of first place in the Great Lakes West standings, with the Mallards now the closest team behind Wausau at just a half game back.

Wausau will welcome Wisconsin Rapids back for the second and final game of the series tomorrow afternoon, with a 1:05 p.m. first pitch at Athletic Park. It’s Woody’s Reading Club Redemption Day #2, which means students who took part in Woody’s Reading Club had a chance to earn a free ticket to the game. On top of that , Culver’s presents Kids Run the Bases Post Game, as kids 12 and under are welcome to run the bases after the game. All tickets to 2026 Woodchucks games at Athletic Park are available exclusively online at woodchucks.com