WAUSAU, WI – On an afternoon with 14 innings of baseball, the Wisconsin Woodchucks got the last answer at Athletic Park in a twin bill against the Madison Mallards.
Playing a seven inning contest commencing at 3:41 p.m., the Chucks and Mallards engaged on a back-and-forth duel, concluding with a 7-5 Wisconsin win.
The victory followed a 4-2 loss to the Mallards earlier Sunday, a holdover from Saturday’s rain-suspended contest after two innings.
Wisconsin is now 18-10 with a game and a half lead in the Great Lakes West Division.
The Woodchucks opened the game in style, plating three runs in the opening inning. Jordan Schaffer doubled in Jose Izarra before CJ Kayfus singled in Schaffer. The Chucks then displayed aggressiveness on the basepaths as Kevin Kilpatrick scored from third on a double steal to make it 3-0.
The Mallards responded with their own run trio in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly, single and error. Woodchucks went back ahead 5-3 on a Kilpatrick bases loaded walk and a Griffin Lockwood-Powell sacrifice fly in the home half of the second.
Madison got briefly back within a run in the fifth, scoring on a double play/fielder’s choice. Kilpatrick then sent a solo home run to left-center field before Louie Albrecht grounded into a bases-loaded double play, scoring another run for the Chucks who made it 7-4.
Madison scored in the sixth on an RBI single, but reliever Dylan MacCallum allowed the contest to get no closer, picking up a three-out save.
Top Performers
Starting Pitcher Tyler Hoeft earned the win, throwing six frames of five-run ball with a pair of strikeouts.
Kevin Kilpatrick was 1-2 with two runs, two walks, two RBI and a home run.
Jordan Schaffer went 2-3 with a run, a double and a walk.
MacCallum threw a scoreless seventh frame en route to a save.
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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]
