For Wausau Pilot & Review
WAUSAU – The Wausau Woodchucks baseball team swept a Northwoods League doubleheader over the Madison Mallards on Wednesday at Athletic Park.
The Woodchucks won the opener Wednesday afternoon 14-8 and the nightcap Wednesday night 8-7 in 10 innings to earn the sweep of the split twinbill.
In Game 1, Wausau scored first in the third as Jacob Schroeder (Illinois) slid home. Madison would respond fast, scoring one off a home run.
After Madison scored one in the fourth, Wausau would take back the lead by scoring two in the bottom of the inning.
Despite Madison scoring one run each in four innings, Wausau would take control of this game offensively, scoring six runs in fifth, four in seventh, and one in eighth, making the score 14-4. Three of those runs would come from Drew Berkland’s (Minnesota) three-run home run in the fifth.
The Mallards would attempt a comeback, but scoring four in the eighth would not be enough.
Berkland, along with his three-run home run, went 3-for-4 with a two-RBI single in the seventh and scored two runs.
Starting pitcher Travis Lutz went six full innings – the longest outing of his season – striking out seven while allowing three runs on six hits.
In Game 2, Wausau kept Madison scoreless in the 10th and Dalton Pearson (Georgia State) would come up to bat with two outs and hit a single, scoring Brady Jurgella (Minnesota) to finish off the 8-7 victory.
Madison (12-12) was the first team to score, bringing in two runs in the third and one in the fourth.
The Woodchucks (14-11) responded with one run off another Berkland home run, making the score 3-1 in fourth.
Despite scoring two in the fifth and another in the sixth, the Mallards would hold their lead and lengthen it, scoring on a home run in the ninth to take a 7-4 lead.
The Woodchucks would complete the comeback to force extra innings, scoring three in the ninth to tie the game 7-7 off an RBI single by Jesse Donohoe (Georgia State).
Beside his walk-off winning RBI single, Pearson picked up two doubles and made a phenomenal throw from centerfield in the top of the 10th, throwing out Madison runner Estevan Moreno (Notre Dame) at home.
With two outs in the 10th, Mike Maginnis (Georgia State) came to the plate and was walked, setting Pearson up for the game-winning hit.
The Woodchucks will travel to Kapco Park in Mequon to start a six-game road trip where they will face the Lakeshore Chinooks on Thursday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
