WAUSAU WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT, DRAW LEVEL WITH MALLARDS IN SEASON SERIES
WAUSAU, WI— Wausau completed a phenomenal Fourth of July weekend by spoiling the Madison party with a 6-4 road win at Warner Park Sunday afternoon. The win helped Wausau sweep the Great Lakes West first half champions in the two-game set against the Mallards.
Bradon Durfee (Pasco-Hernando State/Kansas) had his best game at the plate as a Woodchuck, going 3-4 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI. Joey McLaughlin (Arkansas State) reached three times and went 2-3 with a double, an RBI and three stolen bases, and Gatlin Pitts (Pearl River CC/Western Kentucky) came off the bench and put in a 2-2 performance that included a run and a triple.
Brett Foss (Arkansas State) had a defining start in the state capital, going six innings while just allowing three runs. The right-hander gave up no walks and struck out six. Aiden Goodwin (Snead State CC/Georgia Highlands) produced out of the bullpen with 2.1 innings of work and only one run surrendered. In the ninth, with the tying run in scoring position, Ben Chuttey (USC-Upstate) got the final two outs to secure his first save of the summer.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
Wausau got off to an extremely hot start. Leadoff hitter Peyton Firgens (McClennan CC/MIssissippi State) reached in the first inning, and the next batter, Bradon Durfee, smashed a two-run home run on the fifth pitch of the game. Later in the frame, Noah Malone (Loyola Marymount) got off the mark with his first home run of the summer, a blast into left field that made the score 3-0.
Madison would score a run in the first and second inning to cut Wausau’s lead to one, but the Woodchucks got a run back in the fourth thanks to an RBI single from Joey McLaughlin. Then, both teams scored in the fifth inning, with Wausau’s run coming on an RBI single from Noah Malone.
The sixth inning was led off with a triple from Gatlin Pitts, and Joey McLaughlin earned his second RBI of the game with a single into left field. That was all the offense Wausau would need on the day. In the ninth, the Mallards attempted to make a last-second comeback, and loaded the bases while scoring a run to make it 6-4. However, a diving catch from Lane Walton (Arkansas State) and a pop out on the final two hitters gave Wausau the win.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- The Woodchucks have registered back-to-back quality starts for the second time this season.
- Bradon Durfee’s home run in the quickest home run in a Woodchucks game in the 2026 season.
- Joey Mclaughlin became just the fourth Northwoods League player this summer to steal 30 bases.
- Ben Chuttey joins a list of four Woodchucks pitchers who have recorded a save in 2026.
- Brett Foss recorded his longest start in over a two-year span in the win.
- Woodchucks pitching has allowed just eight runs in the last 24 total innings.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Woodchucks improve to 26-10 this summer, and have now won four in a row. They are now 3-3 against the Mallards in 2026, and have a 5-1 record to start the second half. Wausau remains a half game behind Lakeshore in the second half Great Lakes West standings, and tied with Fond du Lac, who also started the second half with a 5-1 record. The Woodchucks now turn their attention to a seven-inning road doubleheader against the Eau Claire Express, in a two-game set rescheduled from the first half due to weather. The doubleheader starts 11:05 a.m. from Carson Park, with game two scheduled to start 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one.
The Woodchucks will be back at Athletic Park after the All-Star break. Their next game at home is on Saturday, July 11 against the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders at 5:05 p.m. It’s Woody’s Reading Club Redemption Day #3 at the ballpark, so students who took part in Woody’s Reading Club have a chance to earn a free ticket to the game. In addition, it’s another Festival Foods Family Ticket Night, as fans can enjoy a $12 ticket which includes a brat and tap soda! Tickets for games at Athletic Park during the 2026 season can be purchased exclusively on woodchucks.com.