WAUSAU PILOT AND REVIEW
After a tough battle on Saturday in Madison, the Wisconsin Woodchucks took their first lead of the game in the seventh inning and never let go — toppling the Mallards by a score of 11-8.
Brian Morrell started on the mound for the Woodchucks. The pitcher from Notre Dame tossed four innings, giving up six runs and eight hits. He walked five and struck out three batters. Morrell now leads the Woodchucks in starts on the mound with four.
The Mallards were the first to score in the first inning. Justice Bigbie hit in the first run of the game with an RBI single. Bigbie later scored the Mallards second run after Wade Stauss hit an RBI double. This gave the Mallards an early 2-0 lead.
The Woodchucks scored their first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning when shortstop Kaeber Rog hit a solo home run. This was Rog’s first long ball of the year and ninth RBI of the season. First baseman Angel Tiburcio kept the inning going with two outs by singling. Right fielder Lawrence Cicileo followed Tiburcio’s hit with another single. An error was committed by the Mallards’ left fielder, advancing Tiburcio to third and Cicileo to second. With runners in scoring position, second baseman Javier Rosario hit a single to center field. This scored Tiburcio from third with ease. Manager Ronnie Richardson waved Cicileo home from second, but he was thrown out at the plate. The score stayed even at 2-2.
The Mallards reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. They scored four runs on four hits. Woodchucks starting pitcher Brian Morrell allowed two singles and two doubles in the fourth inning. The Mallards four-run inning gave them a 6-2 lead and forced Morrell to exit the game.
The Woodchucks tied the game once again in the fifth inning. Like the Mallards, the Woodchucks were able to put together a four-run inning. It started when designated hitter Santino Miozzi singled with one out. Catcher Nolan Soliveres then hit a double that advanced Miozzi to third. Leadoff hitter Brandon Seltzer stepped to the plate and hit an RBI single that scored Miozzi from third. Soliveres advanced from second but was not waved around and remained put at third. The Mallards then made a pitching substitution.
Left fielder Adam Frank kept the inning going with an RBI single that scored Soliveres. Seltzer advanced from first to second. Seltzer and Frank then performed a double steal that put both of them in scoring position on second and third. Kaeber Rog then flew out to right field. The Mallards were one out away from escaping the inning until first baseman Angel Tiburcio hit an RBI single that scored both Seltzer and Frank. This tied the game at 6-6.
Woodchucks relief pitcher Trey Horton came on in the fifth inning. He gave up two runs when Mallards center fielder Ben Anderson hit a single that brought two Mallards baserunners in. This was Anderson’s third RBI of the game and gave the Mallards an 8-6 lead.
The Mallards lost that lead in the seventh inning when Woodchucks first baseman Angel Tiburcio smashed a three-run home run. The Woodchucks started the inning with the top of their lineup. Leadoff hitter Brandon Seltzer walked to first. Adam Frank hit a single that advanced Seltzer to second. Kaeber Rog grounded out for the first out of the inning. This was when Tiburcio stepped to the plate and hit his first home run of the season. The home run gave the Woodchucks their first lead of the game by a score of 9-8.
The Woodchucks were not done hitting home runs. Center fielder Brandon Seltzer hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth inning that extended the Woodchucks lead 11-8. The inning started with one out after Santino Miozzi flew out. Nolan Soliveres then walked to first. This was when Seltzer hit his third home run of the season.
Trey Horton held the Mallards to no score from the sixth inning through the eighth, setting up Lenny Gwizdala to close out the game for the Woodchucks in the ninth inning. Gwizdala struck out the first two batters and soon got a fly out to seal the deal on the Woodchucks victory by a final score of 11-8.
Gwizdala pitched for the Woodchucks last season and finished with the best ERA on the team (1.45). He was also responsible for all 10 of the Woodchucks saves last season and just earned his first of the 2019 season.
Top Performers
First baseman Angel Tiburcio smashed a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning. Tiburcio’s first home run of the year gave the Woodchucks their first lead of the game at 9-8. Tiburcio finished 3-5 with five RBI and two runs.
Center fielder Brandon Seltzer extended the Woodchucks lead to 11-8 in the eighth inning with a two-run home run. The home run was Seltzer’s third of the season. He finished 3-5 with three RBI and three runs.
After giving up two runs on two hits in the fifth inning, relief pitcher Trey Horton stayed on the mound through the eighth inning and only gave up one hit in the following three innings. This set up Lenny Gwizdala to close out the game for the Woodchucks in the ninth inning.
Left fielder Adam Frank went 2-4 with one RBI and two runs. In the last seven days, Frank has 18 hits which leads the Woodchucks.
Second baseman Javier Rosario went 2-4 with one RBI. This was Rosario’s sixth RBI of the season.
Next Up
The Wisconsin Woodchucks will round out their four-game road trip Sunday by traveling from Madison to Green Bay before heading back home on Monday for a game against the Green Bay Booyah.
