CHINOOKS SCORE SEVEN IN FIFTH, NINTH-INNING WOODCHUCKS RALLY FALLS SHORT

MEQUON, WI— Wausau’s longest win streak of the 2026 season so far was snapped on Sunday afternoon, as the Lakeshore Chinooks took down Wausau for the first time in the 2026 season, 9-7.

Donovan Jeffrey (Miami/Transfer Portal) provided most of the Wausau offense in the afternoon with a grand slam, finishing 1-4 at the plate on the day. Caleb Danzeisen (Arizona) drew a walk in four of his five plate appearances and scored a run. Dylan LaPointe (Mercer) went 3-5 at the plate with two  runs scored and an RBI.

On the mound, Broden Jackson (Madison CC/Creighton) tallied 4.1 innings in his second start of the summer, striking out six hitters. Nolan McKinstry (Kennesaw State) dealt three innings in relief, surrendering just one run and tossing three strikeouts.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

After there was offensive firepower in most of the game Saturday night, runs were hard to come by on Sunday. Lakeshore took the lead on an RBI single in the second inning, and kept Wausau off the scoreboard until the fourth inning.

In that frame, however, momentum changed on one swing. With the bases loaded, Donovan Jeffrey launched an opposite field grand slam to pull Wausau in front.

As they did last night, however, Lakeshore battled back in a massive way, using seven runs in the bottom of the fifth to turn a three-run deficit into a four-run lead, meaning Wausau had to chase the lead in the back half of the game.

The Woodchucks wouldn’t quit though. In the top of the seventh, Dylan LaPointe (Mercer) earned his first RBI of the road trip by beating a throw on a two-out infield single. Lakeshore would get that run back with a home run in the ensuing frame to restore its four-run lead.

Then, in the ninth, with the Woodchucks down to their final strike, Kyler Northrop (Washington State) breathed life into the game with a two-RBI single that cut the Lakeshore lead in half. Wausau got the tying run in scoring position in the inning, but ultimately grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game.

NOTES AND NUMBERS 

• The Woodchucks have now hit two grand slams this summer, matching their total from the 2025 season. In that season, one of those grand slams was hit in Mequon against the Chinooks.
• With Danzeisen and Jeffrey hitting their first Northwoods League home runs at the start of this road trip, Wausau now has had nine different players hit a home run.
• The Woodchucks have now hit a home run in each of the last four games.
• Caleb Danzeisen took four walks in the defeat, the most by any Woodchucks hitter in a game this season.

WHAT’S NEXT

Wausau drops to 11-5 on the summer, and are now 4-3 on the road. While the Woodchucks lose a game in the playoff race, they still are assured of top spot in the Great Lakes West first half standings regardless of Madison’s result later in the afternoon due to win percentage.

The Woodchucks have split the first two games of a four-game set against Lakeshore, and look to take the third game of the series tomorrow at Kapco Park in Mequon, with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. Wausau will be back at home on Friday, June 19, when they host the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders for a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. It’s Boy Band Firework Friday at the ballpark, presented by Cellcom, and the first 200 fans through the gates will receive a light baton. On top of that, it’s Mosinee Youth Baseball Fundraiser Night! Fans can always purchase tickets to Woodchucks games in 2026 at Athletic Park by visiting woodchucks.com.