WAUSAU SWEPT IN TWO-GAME SET AT HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2026 AS SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE

WAUSAU, WI- Following Friday night’s elimination from Northwoods League playoff contention, the Wausau Woodchucks were hoping to finish an excellent 2026 season on a high note. Unfortunately, they could not, as the Minnesota Mud Puppies completed a late comeback to sweep the Woodchucks with an 8-6 win at Athletic Park on Saturday night.

Huxley Holcombe (Cornell) had arguably his best outing of the summer on the mound, tossing six innings, and striking out 10 hitters, more than any other Woodchuck pitcher had in an outing this season, on 103 pitches. Caleb Karll (Montevallo) hit his second home of the week and finished 1-4 with two RBIs. Peyton Firgens (McClennan CC/Mississippi State) finished 3-4 at the plate in his final game of the summer, reaching four times and scoring once, with an RBI along the way.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

The Mud Puppies scored twice in the top of the first to take the lead, but Wausau got right to work to change that. In the bottom of the second, a two-run home run from Caleb Karll, his first at Athletic Park this season, tied the game, and Wausau took the lead later in the frame on an RBI double from Keagen Jirschele (South Dakota State).

Wausau then added on two runs in the third inning. They scored on a Peyton Firgens RBI single to make the score 4-1, and extended the advantage when Joey McLaughlin (Arkansas State) earned his final RBI of the season on a bases loaded walk.

The score stayed at 5-1 until the eighth inning, when things began to change. Minnesota scored twice in that frame to cut Wausau’s lead to two, and then, in the ninth, the floodgates opened. The Mud Puppies scored five more runs to claim the lead back, completing their comeback. Despite a solo home run from Bryce Hubbard (Oregon State) in the bottom of the ninth to cut the deficit to two, the Woodchucks could not put the tying run at the plate.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Wausau finished on a three-game home losing streak, its longest of the summer, losing the final three games at Athletic Park by a combined four runs.
• After Caleb Karll went 46 games in the Northwoods League without a home run, he hit two in a three-day span.
• Peyton Firgens completed a streak of reaching base in all 30 of his starts in the 2026 season.
• All but one Woodchuck hitter reached base in the defeat.
• Joey McLaughlin picked up ten RBIs in his final ten games with the Woodchucks this summer.
• Huxley Holcombe’s 2.68 ERA was the second-best on the pitching staff this summer for a recognized starter that made five or more starts, trailing only Tyson Potts (Central Michigan/New Mexico State)

SEASON RECAP

Wausau finished the season at 43-23, winning more than 40 games for the fifth time in the last six seasons, and completing the summer 20 games above .500. The Woodchucks also finished the second half with a 22-14 record, good for second place in the Great Lakes West Division. It’s the second time in the last five years where Wausau’s had the best overall record in the division, but missed the Northwoods League playoffs.

The Woodchucks would like to thank all the players, coaches, interns, ballpark staff, front office staff, sponsors, fans, and other contributors for a phenomenal 2026 season. A full season recap will be available for fans online at woodchucks.com in the coming days. For now, however, fans can already look ahead to the 2027 season, where season tickets and half-season tickets are available now on woodchucks.com.