For Wausau Pilot & Review
WAUSAU The Wausau Woodchucks took the Traverse City Pit Spitters to extra innings in an intense pitching duel on a beautiful Friday evening at Athletic Park and would walk it off in the bottom of the 11th with 4-3 victory in Northwoods League baseball action.
It was a quiet game with only a handful of hits until the fourth inning when the Pit Spitters scored two runs in the top of the inning. The Woodchucks wouldn’t let them get away with it, though, as they added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a home run by Brock Watkins (BYU).
Jack Wenninger (Illinois) pitched five fantastic innings recording five strikeouts in his third start for the Chucks. Kevin Kilpatrick (Houston) smashed a single to centerfield to give the Woodchucks their first base runner in the bottom of the sixth. He stole second and third, but Wausau wouldn’t be able to bring him in to score.
Watkins started the Woodchucks off with a bang in the bottom of the seventh inning by driving a double to the centerfield wall. Brent Widder (Evansville) would advance the second baseman to third on a sacrifice fly, and Camden Janik (Illinois) delivered an RBI with another sac fly to tie the game 2-2.
Wausau threatened in the bottom of the ninth as Watkins drove another double to right field, and Widder moved him to third yet again, but the Woodchucks would not be able to end it.
The Pitspitters brought in the ghost runner that started at second base in the 11th to give them a lead of 3-2. The Woodchucks ghost runner Hunter Dorraugh (San Jose State) slyly stole third and scored to tie the game on a wild pitch that fell to the backstop.
Mark Shallenberger (Evansville) kept the momentum by smashing a double to right field. Zach Levenson was issued a walk to give the Woodchucks runners on first and second. A wild pitch advanced both runners, and an intentional walk of Watkins will load the bases with one out. The Woodchucks would walk it off with a deep shot to left field by Watkins to snag the 4-3 win.
The Chucks (9-10) will take on the Pit Spitters (8-11) again on Saturday at Athletic Park. Gates open at 5:05 p.m. with first pitch at 6:05 p.m. Chucks players will be wearing specialty jerseys that will be auctioned off to raise money for Aspirus Safe Kids. Tickets can be purchased online at https://wausau-woodchucks.nwltickets.com/ or by calling 715.845.5055.
