Wausau Woodchucks fall in extra innings at Green Bay

For Wausau Pilot & Review

GREEN BAY – Green Bay had a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat the Wausau Woodchucks 7-6 in Northwoods League baseball action Friday night.

Playing for the second of four-straight days against the Rockers, Wausau opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning as Vance Sheahan (South Carolina Upstate) and Edian Espinal (Central Florida) both singled and Max Galvin (Miami) walked to load the bases. Colin Bruggemann (Oklahoma St.) reached on a fielder’s choice to score one and then created a run down that crossed another and the Chucks led 2-0.

Caleb White made his second start in Green Bay and seventh overall. He was scoreless through the first two and had two strikeouts and two walks. His offense added another run in the third as Bruggemann hit his fifth home run of the year. He hit four a season ago in 36 games and has only played 14 so far in 2024.

In the fourth, the Rockers were able to score two runs against White. The Chucks answered right back and scored one of their own as Max Soliz Jr. (Kansas) hit a sacrifice fly to score Espinal and make it a 4-2 ball game.

The Rockers tied the ball game, which brought in Seth Clausen (Minnesota). He just rejoined the team after playing the entire first half. He got the final out and the game was tied 4-4 after five.

In the sixth, Hayden Christiansen (Xavier) hit his first homer of the season that put the Chucks back on top. It was a long solo shot to left field making it 5-4.

In the seventh the Chucks scored another on a wild pitch as Espinal came home to make it 6-4. Eli Frank (Wisconsin-Whitewater) came in for his first outing of the season. He gave up a two-run home run and the game was once again tied.

Bryce Carter (Eastern Florida St. College) came in to pitch the seventh and would keep the Rockers scoreless through the ninth. The Chucks would see extras for the third time this year. They went scoreless in the 10th and gave up their second walk off of the year on a sacrifice fly.

The Chucks (42-13, 16-5 second half) are back in Green Bay on Saturday before heading home on Sunday. It is Scooby Doo Day at Athletic Park and kids run the bases following the contest. First pitch at 1:05 p.m.