For Wausau Pilot & Review
WAUSAU – The Wausau Woodchucks overcame a late four-run deficit to defeat the Lakeshore Chinooks 8-7 in Northwoods League baseball action Thursday night at Athletic Park.
After the Chinooks (20-25, 6-5 second half) took a three-run lead off a Carsen Hansen (Wisconsin-Milwaukee) home run in seventh and Lakeshore would add another to make it a 7-3 game in the eighth, the Woodchucks flipped the script.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, a hit by pitch, a single, and a walk loaded the bases for Wausau (25-20, 5-5 second half). Mark Shallenberger (Evansville) walked to force in a run, brining Colin Brueggemann (Oklahoma State) up to the plate.
Brueggemann, who had hit a home run earlier in the game, tied things up at 7-7 with a bases clearing double – his 11th of the season, and the game would be reset into the ninth.
Wausau relief pitcher Andalo Santangelo (Towson) faced four batters and struck out one to retire the side and set up the Woodchucks for a walk-off win.
Wausau was down to the final out in the bottom of the ninth with Dalton Pearson (Georgia State) coming to the plate. He hit what seemed like a routine fly ball, but it was dropped in the outfield as Drew Berkland (Minnesota) came across with the winning run.
Brueggemann has home runs in back-to-back games, and two straight games with two extra-base hits.
Pearson had another multi-hit game for Wausau, his 15th of the season.
Wausau remains home for a second game of its series against the Lakeshore Chinooks. First pitch Friday, will be at 6:35 p.m. and there will be a post game fireworks show, presented by Marshfield Children’s Hospital.
For tickets or more information visit www.woodchucks.com or call 715-845-5055.
