WALTON’S HOME RUN, LATE OFFENSE HELPS WAUSAU AVOID SWEEP AT HOME

WAUSAU, WI- Coming into the second game of Thursday’s action at Athletic Park, the Woodchucks were 0-5 in the 2026 season in doubleheader games, but that streak ended when Wausau salvaged a split with a 7-2 victory over the Green Bay Rockers.

Lane Walton (Arkansas State) continued his recent tear at the plate by going 2-4 and hitting a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth inning. The infielder finished with four RBIs. Jackson Petsche (Southeastern CC/LSU-New Orleans) went 2-4 as well with two RBIs and two extra base-hits, one of them being a home run.

Richie LaCien (Illinois/Transfer Portal) had one of the greatest outings in his three year career on the mound with the Woodchucks, going 5.2 innings, allowing one run, and striking out four. Malachi Ross (Lawrence/Transfer Portal) earned his first career win in the Northwoods League with 2.1 big innings out of the bullpen, with three strikeouts and just one hit allowed. Jack Garvey (LSU-New Orleans/Transfer Portal) tossed a scoreless ninth inning, pitching on back-to-back days to help secure the win.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Once again, the scoring was sparse early in the game. The Woodchucks took the lead in the bottom of the second, when Jackson Petsche hit a solo home run to deep right field against a former collegiate teammate on the mound. The Rockers, however, tied the game in the top of the fourth with a solo home run of their own.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the sixth, and when a big swing was needed for one team to take control, Lane Walton provided it. He hit his first home run of the summer at Athletic Park, a towering fly ball over the left-field wall, and it scored three runs to give the Woodchucks the lead for good.

Green Bay cut the Wausau lead to two in the top of the eighth, but Wausau added key insurance runs in their final frame at the plate. Lane Walton earned his fourth RBI of the day with a single, and Jackson Petsche followed with an RBI double in the next at bat. Keagen Jirschele (South Dakota State) then finished an excellent first day back with the Woodchucks with a bases loaded walk to put the finishing touches on the win.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

• Not only does Lane Walton have a seven-game hit streak, but the infielder also has picked up multiple hits in each of the last four games. He has eight RBIs in his last three contests.
• After Wausau scored a combined three runs in the first 14 innings at the plate in the doubleheader, the Woodchucks scored six runs in the final three innings of the day.
• Wausau had five pitchers combine to throw 18 innings on the day, and those pitchers combined to allow just seven earned runs across the doubleheader, with 12 total strikeouts for the staff on the day.
• The Woodchucks are now 10-4 on the summer when Jack Garvey makes an appearance.
• Wausau’s record moves to 25-2 in 2026 when allowing four runs or less to the opposing team.

WHAT’S NEXT

Wausau improves to 35-16 on the summer, and hangs on to the lead atop the Great Lakes West second half division standings. The Woodchucks lead the Chinooks on head-to-head win percentage after Lakeshore split its doubleheader at home today to Fond du Lac. In addition, they also maintain their three and a half game lead on the Green Bay Rockers, which was the gap at the start of the day. Wausau now has a 14-7 record in the second half.

The Woodchucks play their sixth straight home game tomorrow, when they host the Eau Claire Express, winners of 13 of their last 14 games, at Athletic Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. It’s the second to last “Firework Friday” of the year, with this show being themed “Raised on Country”– Presented by Wisconsin Chevy Dealers. It’s sure to be a can’t miss night! There are just ten home games remaining in the 2026 season for the Woodchucks, and fans can purchase tickets any remaining game online at woodchucks.com.