WAUSAU RIDES STELLAR PITCHING TO VICTORY IN LOW-SCORING AFFAIR

WAUSAU, WI—  The Wausau Woodchucks continued a strong homestand during Fourth of July weekend as they dispatched the Kenosha Kingfish on Friday night to sweep the two-game set, 4-1 at Athletic Park.

The Woodchucks’ pitching staff delivered one of its most impressive performances of the summer in the win. Wausau native Sam Nitzke (UT-Tyler/Transfer Portal) started the game and threw three shutout innings. Brayden Mazzacano (Illinois/Northern Illinois) earned his first collegiate win with 2.1 innings of relief, where he struck out four and allowed only one run.

Chase Donahue (Mitchell College/Transfer Portal) made his season debut and tossed 1.2 innings without surrendering a run. Then, Pete Jezerinac (Kennesaw State) earned his second save of the summer by retiring the last six Kenosha hitters in order.

At the plate, Lane Walton (Arkansas State) notched his second three-hit game of the summer and secured an RBI in the process. Caleb Karll (Montevallo) chipped in by going 2-4, and also had an RBI.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Neither team scored until the third inning. In that frame, Noah Malone (Loyola Marymount) reached on a fielder’s choice, stole a base, and scored the opening run of the game on a Lane Walton two-out RBI single.

Then, in the fourth, Wausau piled the pressure on Kenosha’s All-Star starting pitcher, Jackson Sobel. Wausau loaded the bases with nobody out, and scored on a bases-loaded walk by A.J. Goytia (Texas Tech) and an infield RBI hit from Jace Souza (Texas Tech/USC)

Kenosha answered with its lone run in the sixth inning to make it 3-1, but missed multiple opportunities to score more, including when they had runners at first and second base and no outs in the eighth, but did not score. Wausau got a key insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, when Caleb Karll smoked a two-out RBI double off the left field wall.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Tonight is just the second time this summer where Wausau has won a game in which they scored four or less runs, and the first since Monday, June 22 at Fond du Lac, which happens to be the other game this summer in which Pete Jezerinac earned a save.
• Brayden Mazzacano earned his first win as a pitcher in his collegiate career.
• The Woodchucks have won five straight games against the Kenosha Kingfish at Athletic Park, dating back to August 2022.
• A.J. Goytia reached base four times tonight without getting a hit, the second straight game where the Woodchucks have had a player reach base that many times without a hit.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Woodchucks move to 24-10 on the summer, and now have a 14-3 record in games played at Athletic Park. They have won five straight games at home. They are also 3-1 in the second half, which puts them in second place in the Great Lakes West standings, where Lakeshore currently sits atop the standings with a 5-0 record.

The Woodchucks now turn their attention to a thoroughly exciting Fourth of July matchup on Saturday night, where they will host their rivals, the Madison Mallards. It’s the first meeting between the two teams since Madison eked out the first half Great Lakes West title and a postseason spot after a thrilling playoff race. Wausau will hope for success similar to last season, where they beat the Mallards at home on July 4 in walkoff fashion, 8-7.

It’s one of the biggest nights at the ballpark, as the Woodchucks put on an Independence Day 250th Anniversary Firework Celebration, Presented by Medical College of Wisconsin – Central Wisconsin! The first 200 fans through the gates will receive a light baton in advance of one of the biggest firework nights of the year! In addition, it’s another Festival Foods Family Ticket Night, where fans can purchase a $12 ticket that includes a brat and tap soda. Fans can purchase tickets to this game and the other remaining Woodchucks games at Athletic Park in 2026 online at woodchucks.com.