Hanson Excellent in Debut; Papageorge Records Nine-Out Save in 5-1 Win
Tim Hackett, Broadcasting Intern
Wausau, Wis.- Thursday night, three Wisconsin Woodchuck pitchers combined for no runs allowed on four hits. Friday night, a pair of pitchers were very nearly as dominant. Two guys combined to throw all nine innings Friday night in Wausau, limiting the Green Bay Bullfrogs (11-20) to just one run on five hits in a 5-1 Woodchucks (12-19) win.
You never know exactly what you’re going to get from a new starter, but Drew Hanson gave the Woodchucks their fourth quality start of the year. He had to throw a few pitches to get through the first, but two prevented steals by catcher Hunter Coleman helped Hanson through. The Bullfrogs got to him in the second, however. Kyle Benyo led off with a single, Willie Bourbon singled him to third, and Ben Hart hit a sacrifice fly to score him and put Green Bay up 1-0.
It didn’t take Wisconsin long to level the score against Jared Tobey. Chad Fleischman led off the third with a single, and the Chucks loaded the bases thanks to an error by Benyo. Tobey walked Brylie Ware to force Fleischman home and tie the score.
Another later Benyo error also proved costly. Jackson Owens walked to lead off the fifth, and Tristan Clarke singled to left, but Benyo misplayed the ball, allowing both runners to advance. Up stepped Stevie Mangrum, who scored them both with a single to right to put Wisconsin up 3-1.
Tobey departed after five, but the Woodchucks struck again in the sixth off of Alex Lee when Logan Foster blasted his first home run of the year over the left field wall to make it 4-1. Foster then walked in the ninth and came around to score when Ivan Nunez purposefully got caught in a rundown to extend the lead out to 5-1.
Meanwhile, Hanson finished up his outing with just one run allowed on four hits and gave way to the bullpen after six. Andreas Papageorge stepped in and allowed the first man he faced to single, but buckled down with a double play forced to end the threat. He then struck out two in the eighth and one more in the ninth to tally Wisconsin’s first nine-out save of the year and 11th overall and clinch the 5-1 win.
The Chucks will head out to the state of Michigan for the first time this year to take on the Kalamazoo Growlers on Saturday night. Josh Bottenfield will make his second start of the year for Wisconsin, with first pitch at 7:05 PM.
Tickets are on sale to all Wisconsin Woodchucks home games and the 2017 Northwoods League Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, presented by Ascension. Tickets can be purchased online, by calling 715.845.5055 or by stopping by the Woodchucks front office during normal business hours.