FOSS PROVIDES BEST START IN NORTHWOODS LEAGUE IN 2026 AS CHUCKS PULL OFF TWO-GAME ROAD SWEEP

DULUTH, MN- For just the second time in the Corey Thompson era, a starting pitcher tossed nine shutout innings. On Sunday afternoon, it was Brett Foss (Arkansas State), who stole the show with a pitching masterclass in a 1-0 Woodchucks 10-inning win at Duluth.

The right-hander was nearly flawless, allowing just one hit and striking out nine hitters. He threw 110 pitches, the maximum number of pitches a Northwoods League arm can throw in a game due to league regulations, and his final pitch was a strikeout that sent the game into extra innings.

Jack Garvey (LSU-New Orleans/Transfer Portal) earned the save after tossing a clean inning in the bottom of the tenth, stranding the potential game-tying run at third base.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Neither team scored in regulation. The stars came on the mound, and Foss began his brilliant day by not allowing a hit until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Duluth hit a line drive single. It was the only hit Foss allowed on the day.

Foss retired 11 out of the next 12 hitters he faced to get to the ninth. In the ninth, he got into trouble after a walk and a stolen base allowed Duluth to put the winning run in scoring position. However, Foss fought back to strike out the final hitter of his start.

That gave Wausau the momentum to break through in the tenth. After the Woodchucks’ courtesy runner was picked off at second base, Peyton Firgens (McClennan CC/Mississippi State) replaced him by doubling on a ground ball down the left field line. The next batter, Gatlin Pitts (Pearl River CC/Western Kentucky) gave Wausau the lead by fighting off an RBI single into right field. That would be the one and only run Wausau would need to pull off the win.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Foss joins Keith Eusebio (Rockford), Emerson McKnight (St. Cloud), and Ty Thomson (Badlands) as the four pitchers to throw nine shutout innings in a Northwoods League game this year. He and Thomson are the only two to throw
• Foss joins Mason Morello (2024) as the two Woodchucks pitchers to throw nine shutout innings in the Corey Thompson era.
• Foss recorded a strikeout in six of his nine innings on the mound in the win.
• The Woodchucks are now 4-0 under Corey Thompson at Wade Stadium, and have a four-game win streak running for the fourth time this season.
• The Woodchucks have won 1-0 for the second time in the Corey Thompson era, and the first time in 10 innings. The first 1-0 win in the Thompson era came in a June 4, 2022 road win over the Green Bay Rockers. It’s also the third time that a Woodchucks game has gone scoreless through nine innings of regulation under Thompson.
• The Woodchucks have had four shutout wins this summer, with all of them caught by Holden Groebl (Cowley CC/Kansas).

WHAT’S NEXT

Wausau moves to 32-14 in the summer, now 18 games above .500 overall, and they have a 11-5 record in the second half. The Woodchucks also moved closer to top spot in the second half Great Lakes West division standings, now just one sole game back of the leader, Lakeshore, after the Chinooks loss on Sunday afternoon.

Wausau now returns to Athletic Park to start an eight-game homestand, the longest of the 2026 season, and gear up to make a big push towards the playoffs. The Woodchucks will start that homestand by hosting the Madison Mallards, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. It’s “World Cup Theme Night” at the ballpark, as fans will be able to celebrate the conclusion of the famous soccer tournament held in the United States this summer. The first 500 fans will receive  a Woodchucks mini soccer ball! In addition, it’s MC United’s Fundraiser Night! Fans can purchase tickets to remaining 2026 Woodchucks home games by visiting woodchucks.com.