CONTEST CALLED IN SEVENTH INNING DUE TO WEATHER AS WAUSAU SPLITS FOUR GAME SET AT WITTER FIELD

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI—  The month of July did not start sweetly for the Woodchucks, as they fell in seven innings to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters by a score of 6-4 on Wednesday night at Witter Field. The game was put into a delay in the seventh inning due to lightning in the area, and was called later in the evening due to weather.

Bradon Durfee (Pasco-Hernando State/Kansas) did not get a hit, but scored a run and registered an RBI in the game. Aiden Goodwin (Snead State CC/Georgia Highlands) had a standout performance in relief, pitching four shutout innings and allowing just two hits.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

For the second straight night, Wisconsin Rapids took the lead early with a run in the first. This time, however, the Rafters stretched their lead with a four-run second inning, putting the Woodchucks in a 5-0 hole.

It took Wausau until the third inning to score, where the offense found momentum in scrappy fashion. Gatlin Pitts (Pearl River CC/Western Kentucky) put the Woodchucks on the board with an RBI double, and Lane Walton (Arkansas State) added on by earning an RBI on a groundout. Wausau cut the deficit to two later in the frame when Bradon Durfee (Pasco-Hernando State/Kansas) reached on a bases-loaded hit by pitch.

In the sixth, Wausau cut the Rafters’ lead down to one when Jace Souza (Texas Tech/USC) scored on a double steal and Ryan Chase (Santa Fe CC/Kansas) used himself as a sacrifice decoy at first base to get the run home. However, the Rafters scored in the seventh inning right before the game was put under a delay. Since the game lasted longer than five innings, it can be considered a full game under Northwoods League rules, and so Wausau wasn’t able to get another chance to chase the game.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• The Woodchucks have started with a win and followed it with a defeat to begin both halves this summer.
• Wednesday night’s game was Wausau’s first road game called early this summer due to weather.
• Aiden Goodwin posted his longest outing as a Woodchuck since his first appearance of the season on May 26 at Madison.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Woodchucks drop to 22-10 on the year, and are the final team in the Northwoods League to have double digits in the loss column this summer. Wausau is 1-1 in the second half, and now sits a game behind in those standings to Fond du Lac and Lakeshore, who both swept two-game sets tonight to

Wausau returns to Athletic Park tomorrow, Thursday, July 2, when they face the first half Great Lakes East champions, the Kenosha Kingfish, for the first of a two-game set. First pitch for that game is slated for 6:35 p.m. It’s Thirsty Thursday at the ballpark, and fans will be able to enjoy $4 Domestic 16 oz Drafts throughout the night! In addition, it’s the annual fundraising night for the Wausau East band! Fans can purchase tickets to home games for the remainder of the 2026 season by going online to woodchucks.com.