
Green Bay Eliminates Wausau from First Half Title Contention
June 28, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wausau Woodchucks News Release
WAUSAU, WI - After an excellent start to the 2025 season, the Woodchucks' hopes of a first half division title slipped away on Saturday afternoon.
The Green Bay Rockers won their league-leading seventh straight game and extended their lead atop the Great Lakes West standings when they eked out a thrilling 5-4 victory at Athletic Park. The Rockers swept the two-game series over the Woodchucks, winning each game by just one run.
The defeat mathematically eliminates Wausau from first half contention in the Great Lakes West. However, Wausau will still have a chance to make the playoffs if they win the second half title. The Woodchucks will have to beat out five other teams for that second playoff spot.
The Woodchucks gave up a solo home run in the top of the first but had a bigger blast themselves in the bottom half. Max Soliz Jr. (Kansas) launched a fly ball over the tall wall in center field, a two-run shot that gave him his fourth home run of the season, and Wausau a 2-1 lead.
Max Galvin (Miami) joined in with a long ball of his own in the third. The 2024 Northwoods League Home Run Derby Champion mashed a no-doubt solo home run over the right field wall for his first home run of the 2025 season. Galvin has now hit 33 home runs in his collegiate career, combining his time at school and in summer collegiate baseball leagues.
The Woodchucks would maintain their lead midway through the game, but starting in the sixth, Green Bay got rolling. The Rockers scored one run in the top half of that frame and followed with two runs in the seventh to take a shocking 4-3 lead. The Rockers then added a key insurance run in the eighth with a two out RBI single to take a two-run advantage in the late stages.
Wausau would score one run in the eighth to keep the game tight. Noah Malone (Loyola Marymount) began the inning with a team-leading 12th extra base hit when he roped a double over the right fielder's head. He would later score in the inning on a passed ball, but the Woodchucks could get nothing more in the contest.
While Wausau's chase for the first half title ended in disappointment with the defeat, Tyson Potts (Wayland Baptist/Central Michigan) still gave the Woodchucks a great chance at the win. The right-hander dealt 5.1 innings and allowed just one run, striking out five in his first start at Athletic Park this season. Potts leads the Woodchucks in the first half in innings pitched with 33.1.
Christian Smith-Johnson (Texas A&M-CC) had his 23-game hit streak broken in the defeat. That means Smith-Johnson will have a share of the franchise record for consecutive games with a hit in a single season, joining Steele Walker (2016). It was the longest hit streak in the Northwoods League so far this season.
Wausau drops to 19-14 on the season, and they are now 9-5 at home. Green Bay is responsible for three of Wausau's five defeats at home this season and can clinch the division title with a win tomorrow and a Madison loss. In addition, with today's defeat, the Woodchucks suffered their first two-game series sweep of the season.
The Woodchucks will end the first half slate with two home games against the Kenosha Kingfish, the team Wausau faced to begin the 2025 season. Wausau shut out the Kingfish on the road in the first game of the season, before Kenosha won the second game of that set in dramatic fashion to force a split.
Tomorrow's game between the Woodchucks and Kingfish is set to begin at 1:05 p.m. at Athletic Park. Wausau will be celebrating Hilarious Heelers Day at the ballpark, where there will be an exclusive meet and greet Heeler party on the first base patio. Fans can attend the meet and greet by purchasing a themed ticket package at woodchucks.com. In addition, it's Marathon Youth Baseball Day at the ballpark, and kids are invited to run the bases after the game- presented by Culver's. For more information on tickets and upcoming promotions, fans can visit woodchucks.com.
Northwoods League Stories from June 28, 2025
- Express Stopped in Tracks in 11-4 Loss to Duluth - Eau Claire Express
- Kingfish End First Half of Season with a Loss to Battle Jacks - Kenosha Kingfish
- Liam Moreno Breaks Franchise Hit Record in Loss to Lakeshore Chinooks - Madison Mallards
- Honkers Pitching Propels Rochester to 6-1 Win - Rochester Honkers
- Dock Spiders Jolt Past the Growlers - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- The MoonDogs Drop the Series Against the Border Cats - Mankato MoonDogs
- Spitters Survive Late Inning Scare; Winners of Four Straight - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Poor Pitching Dooms Growlers in 15-11 Loss - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Rox Finish Homestand with League-Leading 23rd Win - St. Cloud Rox
- Leprechauns Sweep Rivets Thanks to Eighth Inning Surge - Rockford Rivets
- Green Bay Eliminates Wausau from First Half Title Contention - Wausau Woodchucks
- Rockers Rally to Sweep Wausau and Stay on Top - Green Bay Rockers
- Rox Clinch Great Plains First-Half Title, Secure Seventh Straight Playoff Berth - St. Cloud Rox
- Rockers Look to Lock Down First Half - Green Bay Rockers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Wausau Woodchucks Stories
- Green Bay Eliminates Wausau from First Half Title Contention
- Woodchucks Lose Heartbreaker to Green Bay in Critical First Half Matchup
- Woodchucks Bounce Back, Pick up Massive Win in Extras at Madison
- Woodchucks Fall Short in Rivalry Clash with Mallards
- Malone Hits Three Home Runs, Woodchucks Win by 10 against Chinooks

