Northwoods Wausau Woodchucks

Chucks Fall in Extras to Bullfrongs 4-2

Published on June 5, 2011 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wausau Woodchucks News Release


WAUSAU-June 5, 2011-The Woodchucks fell to 1-3 Saturday night at Athletic Park, losing 4-2 to the visiting Green Bullfrogs in 11 innings.

Bullfrog's reliever John Colella took the win, while Woodchucks' southpaw Jordan Luvisi took a tough-luck loss, after throwing five strong innings in relief.

Still waiting for a multitude of position players and pitchers to arrive from their respective schools, the Woodchucks dealt with a short bench, out-of-position defenders, and a very thin bullpen for the fourth consecutive night.

The 'Chucks would start off the night's scoring, as Garrett Yrigoyen would smack a two-out triple to right field in the bottom of the second inning. Carlos Escobar Jr., the 'Chucks newly activated catcher, would start his Northwoods League career with a bang, plating Yrigoyen with a double off of Green Bay starter Drew Bradshaw.

After dealing two scoreless innings to start the game, Woodchucks' starter AJ Carman gave up consecutive singles to Ryan Shilte and Nick Stein. Both runners would advance on stolen bases, before two consecutive foul-outs would bring up Joe Betcher, who would hit a lazy fly ball into right field, which was missed by Dimitri De La Fuente -the Woodchucks' catcher on Wedesnday and Friday- scoring two unearned runs.

After seeing limited time at San Jose State during his sophomore season, and not making a start at any level since high school, Bullfrogs' starter Drew Bradshaw was tough on a slow-starting 'Chucks offense, allowing five hits and only one run, with six strikeouts in 6.2 innings pitched.

AJ Carman would follow suit, and make an impressive start after falling short in his first outing on Thursday night in Eau Claire, where he lasted only one inning. Carman would join Bradshaw in taking an underserved no-decision, pitching six innings with five strikeouts, three walks, five hits, and no earned runs allowed.

Taking a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning, the Bullfrogs would allow the 'Chucks to tie the ballgame with some subpar defense of their own- walking Shain Stoner with two outs, a failed pickoff attempt would move Stoner to second, before he would steal third and then score on a following fielding error by Cameron Dullnig.

Each team would only use two pitchers, as both Jordan Luvisi and John Colella would come on in the seventh, and go the distance.

Both pitchers would go scoreless into the eleventh, where both would start their respective inning with a walk.

Luvisi would follow his walk with a double, which, coupled with a subsequent Alex Grunenwald fielding error in left, would score a run, before a two out single by Steve Halcomb would make the score 4-2, Bullfrogs.

Colella, however, would record two consecutive strikeouts following his leadoff walk, before getting a groundout to end the game.

Carman and Luvisi were the only Woodchucks pitchers either eligible or rested enough to throw on the night, while Kyle Secciani and Shain Stoner had to play through being shaken up on separate plays in the field- with no replacement defenders available up the middle.

Six total errors were committed for the second consecutive night at Athletic Park, as the 'Chucks committed four on Saturday and two on Friday, while the visiting Eau Claire Express committed four on Friday, and the Bullfrogs two on Saturday.

The Bullfrogs improved to 3-1 on the short season, while the Woodchucks, conversely, dropped to 1-3.

The two will meet again at Athletic Park tomorrow afternoon, with a 5:05 Sunday start time. Cory Kyle will take the mound for the Bullfrogs, while no starter has been announced for the 'Chucks.

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Northwoods League Stories from June 5, 2011


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