A Game of Firsts – Chucks Dismantle Rafters
Wausau, WI – The Woodchucks took game one of the home-and-home series against the Rafters today, 20-3. It is a new season high in runs scored for the Chucks.
Edwin Alicea Made his sixth start of the season and picked up the win, throwing a season-high eight strikeouts across 5.0 innings. He only allowed three runs and walked no batters.
It was a game of debuts as David Morrisey (Eastern Florida State) and Ben Lee (UW-Whitewater) both made their first appearances on the mound. Morrisey took over in relief of Alicea and went 3.0 innings, striking out two and allowing no hits and no runs. Lee pitched in just the ninth and struck out one, also allowing no runs and no hits.
The Woodchucks scored at least two runs in every inning besides the ninth. They had a six-run first inning. After loading the bases, Colin Bruggemann (Oklahoma State) earned his first RBI when he was hit by a pitch that allowed Isaac Webb (Corpus Christi) to score, to make things 1-0.
Max Soliz Jr. went 5-5 with two home runs, a double, and two singles. He got things underway in the first with a double that scored two to bring the score to 3-0. Sam Fischer (Florida International) earned a sacrifice groundout to score Bruggeman to make things 4-0. Vance Sheahan (South Carolina Upstate), also in his NWL debut, capped things off with a two-out double that scored two.
Austin Dearing (Florida International) started off the second with a single that scored Edian Espinal (Chipola) and Max Galvin (Miami). Max Galvin earned his only RBI of the night on a sac-fly, bringing the score to 5-0. Bruggemann got the score to 6-0 on a sacrifice groundout that scored Isaac Webb.
The Chucks scored two more in the fourth thanks to the efforts of Vance Sheahan and Isaac Webb, two more in the sixth thanks to Sam Fischer and Brady Jurgella (Minnesota), and two more in the sixth thanks to a Colin Bruggemann two-run shot over the video board for his second homerun of the season.
Max Soliz Jr. led off the seventh and scored his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot over the left field wall. Vance Sheahan also earned his fourth RBI of the game when he scored Sam Fischer. The Woodchucks capped things off with a Max Soliz Jr. two-run shot to bring the score to 20-3. It was Soliz Jr.’s second home run of the game, making him the first Woodchuck of the season to accomplish that feat.
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The Wausau Woodchucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Entering its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 350 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.woodchucks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Woodchucks as your favorite team.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
