WAUSAU LOSES AT HOME TO ROCKERS FOR FIRST TIME IN 2026 SEASON<\/b><\/p>\n
WAUSAU, WI- The Woodchucks were hoping to keep their strong form rolling at the beginning of an important nine-inning doubleheader on Thursday at Athletic Park, but the Green Bay Rockers ended up taking the first game of the day, 5-2.<\/p>\n
Keagen Jirschele (South Dakota State) made his debut in his second season in Wausau in the defeat, and had a strong 2-4 day at the plate with an extra base hit. Logan Waldschmidt (LSU-New Orleans\/Transfer Portal) put together a strong start, allowing just three runs on four hits in four innings of work. Brayden Mazzacano (Illinois\/Northern Illinois) came out of the bullpen and kept up the strong pitching, tossing five innings and striking out four while surrendering just two runs.<\/p>\n
THE HIGHLIGHTS<\/b><\/p>\n
Early on, it looked like the offense would control the game. After the Rockers opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the first, Wausau answered with two runs to tie the game in the bottom half. Ryan Chase (Santa Fe CC\/Kansas) earned his 39th RBI of the summer with a sacrifice fly that scored Noah Malone (Loyola Marymount), and Max Soliz Jr. (Kansas) scored in the inning after a Green Bay error.<\/p>\n
The Rockers, however, reclaimed the lead on a home run in the third inning to make it 3-2. Later on, in the seventh, Green Bay hit another homer, this time a two-run blast that gave them key insurance runs late in the game.<\/p>\n
The Woodchucks offense had its chances, but it was difficult to string hits together. Wausau would strand three runners in scoring position in the final four innings at the plate. Even though the Chucks got the tying run in the on-deck circle in the ninth, the game ended when Wausau hit into a double play.<\/p>\n
NOTES AND NUMBERS<\/b><\/p>\n