WOODCHUCKS COME BACK LATE, STAVE OFF ROCKER RALLY TO TAKE SOLE POSSESSION OF FIRST PLACE IN THE DIVISION

ASHWAUBENON, WI— There are crazy games every summer in the Northwoods League, and then there are games like Sunday’s matchup at Capital Credit Union Park, where Wausau won 11-10 in 11 innings.

Five different Woodchucks had multi-hit games in the win, including two players with home runs in Ryan Chase (Santa Fe CC/Kansas) and Dylan LaPointe (Mercer). Gaven Obremski (Rock Valley CC/Western Illinois) had a 2-4 performance, and scored a run.

Wausau’s pitching did the job in huge spots as well. Brady Wright (Santa Fe CC/Tampa) worked an excellent 2.1 innings out of the bullpen, recording two strikeouts, while Logan Waldschmidt (New Orleans/Transfer Portal) threw the final two innings, allowing just two hits and two earned runs, and recording a strikeout.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Wausau took the lead in the first. Jake Berkland (Minnesota State-Mankato) battled to take a leadoff walk, moved to third base on a single, and then scored after a throwing error from Green Bay. Then Berkland was the architect of the second Woodchuck run, after he brought in Gaven Obremski with a two out RBI single in the fifth.

Green Bay, however, found a way back. The Rockers found a big inning in the bottom of the fifth, and scored four runs to take the lead. It took Wausau a bit of time to respond, but they did so in a big way in the eighth. Ryan Chase hit his second home run of the season, an opposite field two-run home run that tied the game at 4-4.

Then, there were big moments late. After the Rockers took the lead in the bottom of the eighth, the Woodchucks rallied in the ninth, with Brayden Mazzacano (Illinois) lining a game-tying base hit up the middle to score Jace Souza (Texas Tech), on his first day as a Woodchuck. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, with the winning run at third base, Nolan McKinstry picked up a massive, inning-ending strikeout to send the game to extras.

And if things couldn’t get any wilder, both teams scored three runs each in the tenth. Dylan LaPointe (Mercer) hit a go-ahead three run home run for Wausau in the top of the tenth, his second straight game with a long ball. But the Rockers found a way to score three in the bottom half and tie the game after a Woochucks error.

Wausau responded accordingly in the eleventh. Joey McLaughlin (Arkansas State) brought in the courtesy runner with a go-ahead RBI single, and Dawson Harman (South Carolina/Transfer Portal) followed it up with a two-RBI double into deep center field. That put the Woodchucks up 11-8.

Green Bay had one more rally left in the bottom of the eleventh, scoring two more runs to cut the Wausau lead to one. With the tying run in scoring position, Logan Waldschmidt forced the final Rocker hitter to pop out to Jake Berkland, finishing off one of the wildest games of the season.

NOTES AND NUMBERS 

• The Woodchucks’ defense turned three double plays Sunday, the third different time they’ve achieved that feat in a game this season. Wausau’s now turned 11 total double plays in 2026
• There were 395 total pitches thrown between both teams combined in the game.
• It was the first game where the Woodchucks hit multiple home runs. Ryan Chase has now hit two home runs this season, both at Capital Credit Union Park, and both to the opposite part of the field.
• It was the first Woodchucks game to go 11 innings since June 29, 2023, when the Woodchucks hosted the Green Bay Rockers. In that game, Green Bay scored seven runs in the top of the eleventh and eventually won 13-7.
• Wausau’s offense, which statistically was the best in the Northwoods League last summer,  has now scored nine or more runs in four of the last five games.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Woodchucks reclaim sole possession of first place in the Great Lakes West standings and improve to 5-2 in the 2026 season. Green Bay and Fond du Lac both sit at 4-3, each one game behind Wausau at the end of May. The Woodchucks will travel back to Capital Credit Union Park in hopes of sweeping Green Bay when they face the Rockers tomorrow at 6:35 p.m.

Wausau’s back at Athletic Park on Tuesday, June 2, when the Lakeshore Chinooks come to town for a 6:05 p.m first pitch. It’s Bang for Your Buck Night at Athletic Park, which means fans can purchase $2.00 hot dogs, $2.00 tap sodas and $4.00 16oz Domestic Drafts! Fans can always purchase tickets to home games in the 2026 Woodchucks season by visiting woodchucks.com.