WAUSAU COMES FROM DOWN TWO IN THE EIGHTH TO PICK UP THIRD WALK-OFF WIN OF THE SEASON

WAUSAU, WI- The Eau Claire Express hadn’t been swept in a two-game series in the second half, until today, when the Wausau Woodchucks came back in phenomenal fashion to walk off the Express and sweep a two-game set, winning 4-3 in 10 innings.

With one out and the winning run at third base, Noah Malone (Loyola Marymound) hit a ground ball through a hole in the left side of the infield to win the game, a walk-off RBI hit. He reached twice in the game. A.J. Goytia (Texas Tech) reached twice and scored a run in a 1-2 day at the plate.

On the mound, Aiden Goodwin (Snead State CC/Georgia Highlands) collected the win after getting two outs in the tenth inning, which stranded Eau Claire’s go-ahead run at third base. Brett Foss (Arkansas State) also provided Wausau with its third consecutive quality start, as he tossed six innings and allowed just three earned runs, with six total strikeouts.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

After Wausau hitters struck out six times in the first two innings of the game, the Woodchucks got on the board in the third inning. After A.J. Goytia picked up a leadoff hit, and moved to third on a wild pitch and a walk, Lane Walton (Arkansas State) drove him in with a deep sacrifice fly RBI to give Wausau a 1-0 lead.

Eau Claire, however, responded, with a game-tying run in the fourth inning, and a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth. Wausau would not register a hit from the fourth inning to the seventh, but in the eighth, they made it a one-run ball game when Max Soliz Jr. (Kansas) drove a solo home run over the left field wall.

In the ninth, Wausau scored without registering a hit. Bradon Durfee (Pasco-Hernando State/Kansas) was hit by the first pitch in the frame, and then fearlessly stole both second base and third base to bring the tying run 90 feet away from home. Sawyer Tolk (Kansas City Kansas CC/Dayton) then did his job by bringing that run in on a sacrifice fly to left field to tie the game.

In the top of the tenth, a leadoff walk and a sacrifice fly put runners on the corners for Eau Claire. Then, Aiden Goodwin came out of the bullpen and masterfully put away the next two hitters on a groundout and pop out to put up a zero in the top half.

Then, Wausau used the speedy Joey McLaughlin (Arkansas State) as a courtesy runner at second base in the bottom half. Caleb Karll (Montevallo) moved McLaughlin over to third base on a sacrifice bunt, and Malone did the rest, walking the game off with a base hit into left field on a 2-0 count.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Noah Malone joins Chris Patterson (Missouri/Purdue) and Gatlin Pitts (Pearl River CC/Western Kentucky) as the players to pick up walk off RBIs for the Woodchucks this season.
• It was Wausau’s first extra-innings game at Athletic Park since June 6, 2025, a game they also won in walk-off fashion, that time against the Madison Mallards.
• The Woodchucks managed to win the game and score four runs on only three total hits.
• The Woodchucks are now 11-0 when their pitcher throws a quality start, and today was their first win when an opposing pitcher came through with a quality start.
• Wausau is the first team to sweep the Eau Claire Express in a two-game series in the second half, and now have a .500 record or better against every opponent they’ve faced in the 2026 season.

WHAT’S NEXT

Wausau improves to 37-16 on the summer, and now holds the best home record in the Northwoods League at 23-5. The Woodchucks also moved to 16-7 in the second half, and will hold first place in the second half Great Lakes West Division standings at the end of night, regardless of Lakeshore’s result. The Chinooks are playing in Wisconsin Rapids at the time of this writing.

The Woodchucks will finish their longest homestand of the 2026 season tomorrow, Sunday, when they host the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters at Athletic Park for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch. It’s “Faith and Family Day”, Presented by Denyon Homes, as there is fun for the whole family with $8 bleacher seats or $25 Leinie’s Party Area tickets (non-alcohol). Also, kids 12 and under are welcome to run the bases after the game, which is presented by Culver’s. Fans can always purchase tickets to 2026 Woodchucks home games by going online and visiting woodchucks.com.