Wausau Woodchucks rout Green Bay for 10th win of second half

For Wausau Pilot & Review

WAUSAU – The Wausau Woodchucks earned a split of a home-and-home series with the Green Bay Rockets, rolling to 12-4 win on Monday night at Athletic Park.

The Woodchucks are now 36-10 overall and 10-2 in the second half of the Northwoods League baseball season.

Adiel Melendez (Montavello) made his first appearance since his All-Star nomination for Wausay. Melendez went a full three innings pitched, striking out three and allowing two runs. The Chucks are now 8-0 when Melendez pitches.

The Chucks got to work very early. After Jake Berkland (Mankato) reached base on a walk, Edian Espinal (Chipola) knocked his first home run of the year to put the Chucks up 2-0. Espinal would reach base four times and scored three times.

After Green Bay tied the game, Wausau added two more runs from Espinal and Austin Dearing (Florida International) to bring the score to 4-2.

After giving up one run in the top of the sixth, the Woodchucks answered it with a massive seven-run inning. Max Soliz Jr. (Houston) reached on a walk and came around to score on a single from Luke Pemberton (Pepperdine). Jake Berkland earned an RBI when he batted around Pemberton, also on a single. After Sam Fischer (Florida International) and Espinal reached, Max Galvin (Miami) slugged out a single, scoring both and bringing the score to 8-3.

Colin Bruggemann (Oklahoma State) launched his fourth home run of the year, a three-run shot near the video board, to push Wausau’s lead to 11-3.

Evan Alwine (Florida International) and Brayden Marks (Bradley University) both made appearances on the mound for the Woodchucks. Alwine took over in the fourth, and went three innings with one strikeout and one run allowed. Marks made his second appearance in the season and also went three innings, closing out the win.

The Chucks go on the road to face Madison on Tuesday before returning to Athletic Park to play a doubleheader against Madison on Wednesday. Both games will be seven innings, with the first game starting at 5:05 p.m. The first 500 fans who attend Game 1 will receive a complimentary baseball, courtesy of the Medical College of Wisconsin. Game 2 will start 30 minutes after the first one ends.