Ashwaubenon, Wis. – The Green Bay Rockers (4-7) took down the division-leading Wausau Woodchucks (9-2) this afternoon 8-6. Not only was this the third consecutive victory for Green Bay, but it was just the tenth loss for Wausau this season.
The Rockers came out the gates with urgency on both sides of the ball, scoring six runs in the first three innings. Green Bay’s early spurt was highlighted by a two-run home run from newcomer Blade Carver (Northern Oklahoma College) in the second inning. The blast came on the very first pitch thrown to the catcher in his Northwoods League career.
Carver finished as the only Rocker with multiple RBI on the day, as he added one more on a single in the fifth inning to extend Green Bay’s lead to 7-0.
Starting pitcher Lleyton Grubich (McHenry CC) was the other key player in the Rockers’ quick start. The lefty didn’t give up a run until the sixth inning, and only allowed four hits in total against 31 batters faced. Grubich tossed 100 pitches exactly.
However, Wausau has the best record in the league and showed why in the middle innings. Woodchucks DH Bryce Hubbard (Georgia) blasted a two-run shot in the sixth before all-star outfielder Max Galvin (Miami) hit a grand slam in the seventh. After those two long-balls, the Rockers saw their lead shrink to 7-6.
In the bottom of the seventh, Green Bay responded with a solo-home run off the bat of Jake Bold (Princeton). The DH had a three-for-four day batting with a double and the aforementioned bomb. Meanwhile fellow Ivy League product Sam Miller (Columbia) went four-for-five with two doubles in his return to the Rockers lineup to provide a spark.
With the lead at 8-6 after seven, Green Bay called on Treshon Paschal (Southern Arkansas) out of the bullpen. All he did? Close out the game with back-to-back one-two-three innings and a pair of strikeouts in the process.
The Rockers and Woodchucks face off again Monday in Wausau at 6:05 p.m. That’s the first of two road games for Green Bay before it returns to Capital Credit Union Park for a July 17 showdown with the Dock Spiders at 6:35 p.m.
For the contest on Wednesday, any child wearing their youth sports jersey (any sport) will receive a free outfield box seat ticket because it’s Youth Sports Night. Fans will also be treated to live music from Sweet Acoustics from the time gates open at 5:30 through the end of the third inning.
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