Northwoods League
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) –The Wausau Woodchucks defeated Eau Claire 5-4 in a matchup of two of the top teams in the Northwoods League.
Pete Jezerinac (Kennesaw State) came up with a massive seven-out save to shut down the Express late, picking up two strikeouts to hold Wausau’s lead until the finish line. Gavin Kindell (Florida Southwestern State CC/South Alabama) earned a second win in as many starts with the Woodchucks, tossing six innings and allowing just three earned runs, with five strikeouts. Holden Groebl (Cowley CC/Kansas) hit a go-ahead three-run home run that proved to be the pivotal swing down the stretch for Wausau in a 1-3 night at the plate. Jackson Petsche (Southeastern CC/LSU-New Orleans) provided an RBI double, scoring once and reaching twice in the win.
Eau Claire, winners of 13 of its last 14 games, showed just how hot they were going into the night by taking the lead in the second inning with a run. The Express doubled their advantage in the fourth inning with another run.
Up until the bottom of the fourth, only one Wausau hitter had reached base, but everything changed in that frame. After Lane Walton (Arkansas State) took a one-out walk, Jackson Petsche drove him in on an RBI double down the right field line. After that, Peyton Firgens (McClennan CC/Mississippi State) tied the game with an RBI single up the middle. Then, with two outs, Holden Groebl tattooed a breaking ball over the center field wall, a go-ahead three-run home run, which would provide Wausau the final runs they needed to win the game.
While the Woodchucks did not score again, the bullpen went on a thrilling adventure to keep the lead. Eau Claire loaded the bases in the seventh inning, but Jezerinac struck out the final hitter of the inning to keep Wausau ahead. Then, in the ninth inning, the tying run reached, but a strikeout and a fly out sealed a well-earned win at home for the Woodchucks.
Wausau moves to 36-16 on the summer, 20 games above .500 for the first time in 2026, and they boast the most wins by any team in the Northwoods League at this point in the season. They also improve to 15-7 in the second half, maintaining their lead atop the Great Lakes West second half standings on a head-to-head tiebreaker following Lakeshore’s win tonight at Wisconsin Rapids.
Wausau and Eau Claire will meet again tonight at Athletic Park. First pitch is at 5:05 PM.
Comments