Wisconsin Rapids, WI – The Woodchucks split the final game of the series against the Rafters, 17-3. The Chucks did not lose once at Witter Field this season, and they have scored a total of 57 runs on the road against the Rafters.
The Chucks had a monster of a 3rd inning. They scored 8 runs in just 1 inning, including 4 back-to-back. The inning started with a Jake Berkland (Mankato) walk, followed by 4 consecutive hits by Vance Sheahan (USC-Upstate), Val Cerna Jr. (CMU), Max Galvin (Miami), and Colin Bruggemann (Oklahoma State), including a double by Val Cerna Jr. in his first game back as a Woodchuck. Christian Smith-Johnson also had a sac-fly that scored another run for 8 total.
The Chucks followed it with a 2 run 4th inning, from a 2 run shot from Colin Bruggemann for his 6th of the year. The Chucks would get 1 more in the 6th thanks to a single from Sam Fischer (FIU), and 2 more in the 7th thanks to 4 back-to-back hits from Christian Smith-Johnson (Corpus Christi), Jake Berkland, Vance Sheahan, and Val Cerna Jr. Smith-Johnson had a double to lead off that inning as well.
In the top of the 8th, Max Soliz Jr. (Kansas) launched his 8th of the season over left-field, scoring Samuel Fischer to make the score 15-1. Jake Berkland and Christian Smith-Johnson both scored as well to make things 17-1.
Travis Lutz (Bradley University) started the night on the mound for the Chucks. He went a full 5.0 innings pitched, allowing just 1 hit, no runs, and throwing 7 strikeouts. Seth Clausen (Minnesota) got the Chucks to the 9th, throwing two scoreless innings with 2 strikeouts. David Brown (Oklahoma-Tonkawa) was given the nod to close out the 9th. He struck out 1 for the Chucks victory.
The Chucks return home to Athletic Park tomorrow, August 1st, for the Zooperstars! That will kick off a 3 game home stand. First pitch is at 6:35PM.