For Wausau Pilot & Review
ASHWAUBENON – More than two and a half hours into Saturday’s series finale in Ashwaubenon, the Wausau Woodchucks and Green Bay Rockers were right where they started.
But a ninth inning rally produced the game’s only run and helped the Woodchucks (3-3) slip past the Rockers (1-5) and earn their first Northwoods League series sweep of the season.
Wausau pitcher Jack Wenninger (Illinois) went toe-to-toe with Green Bay’s Justin Loer and neither starter surrendered a run.
Wenninger wriggled free of a bases-loaded jam in the third and completed four scoreless innings, tallying three strikeouts in his team debut.
He was relieved in the fifth inning by Carter Heninger (San Jose State), who thwarted Green Bay rallies the rest of the way. The hard-throwing righty struck out 10 Rocker hitters, saving his best pitches for big moments to escape jams.
In total, Green Bay left nine men on base Saturday evening, going 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
While the Woodchucks’ opportunities were few and far between, they pounced when one presented itself in the ninth inning. Tre Hondras (John A. Logan) slapped a one-out base hit, extending his on-base streak to a perfect six-for-six to start the season. Lenny Ashby (New Mexico State) snuck a grounder down the third base line, setting up a one-out scoring opportunity.
Camden Janik (Illinois) drove in Hondras with a groundout to short, proving to be the difference in the contest.
Heninger closed the door in the bottom of the inning, stranding the tying run at second base. With the win, Wausau extends its winning streak to three.
The Woodchucks will begin a four-game series against their local rival Wisconsin Rapids Rafters on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids. The Chucks will host the Rafters at 6:35 p.m. both Monday and Thursday of next week, with a day off on Tuesday and a return trip to Wisconsin Rapids on Wednesday.
