Woodchucks Secure Massive Win in Playoff Push against Lakeshore
Northwoods Wausau Woodchucks

Woodchucks Secure Massive Win in Playoff Push against Lakeshore

Published on August 1, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wausau Woodchucks News Release


WAUSAU, WI - Coming into this weekend's two-game series against the Great Lakes West leader in Lakeshore, Wausau had one mission, to sweep the Chinooks, and set up a big finish in the 2026 playoff race. Part one of that job was completed on Saturday night, when Wausau took down Lakeshore, 6-2, at Athletic Park, to move 1.5 games back of the Chinooks in the playoff race.

Keagen Jirschele (South Dakota State) went 2-3 and had the defining swing, a second-inning go-ahead grand slam that gave the Woodchucks the lead for good. Jirschele finished the game with five total RBIs.

Brett Foss (Arkansas State) delivered another standout start, allowing just two unearned runs in 6.2 total innings of work. The right-hander struck out seven and allowed just five hits on 104 total pitches, earning his third win of the summer in the process. Bryce Carter (VCU) threw 1.1 shutout innings out of the bullpen, and Pete Jezerinac (Kennesaw State) wrapped it up with a scoreless ninth inning, striking out two in the process.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

Wausau started the critical matchup on the back foot. In the top of the first, a Woodchuck error led to two unearned runs crossing the plate for Lakeshore. However, Wausau was gifted a run back in the bottom of the second inning, when a ball put in play by Ryan Chase (Santa Fe CC/Kansas) forced a Lakeshore error, and scored Keagen Jirschele as an unearned run.

In the second inning, Wausau built an opportunity and cashed in with grand style. Caleb Karll (Montevallo) and Bryce Hubbard (Oregon State) each took walks, and after an infield single by Joey McLaughlin (Arkansas State) moved the runners, the bases were loaded for Keagen Jirschele. On a 1-1 pitch, Jirschele shot a breaking ball just over the left field fence, a grand slam to give Wausau a 5-2 lead.

After that, only one run crossed the plate in the game, and that was thanks to Jirschele. In the sixth, Keagen mashed a two-out RBI double into left-center field, scoring Sawyer Tolk (Kansas City Kansas CC/Dayton) and making the score 6-2, where it remained. After the first inning, Lakeshore had four runners make it into scoring position, but none crossed the plate.

NOTES AND NUMBERS

Keagen Jirschele hit the fourth grand slam of the summer for Wausau, surpassing their team tally in 2025. Remarkably, three of the four Woodchucks grand slams have come against Lakeshore.

Brett Foss has now allowed just three earned runs in his last 21.2 total innings of work.

The Woodchucks have now beaten the Chinooks 12 consecutive times at Athletic Park, dating back to August 2023.

Jirschele's five RBIs are a career high for the shortstop in a Northwoods League game.

Lane Walton picked up his tenth multi-hit game of the summer in the victory.

The two runs scored by Lakeshore were the lowest amount of runs for a Woodchucks opponent since Thursday, July 23, when Wausau took down Green Bay 7-2 in the second game of a nine-inning doubleheader.

WHAT'S NEXT

Wausau improves to 40-19 on the summer, holding the best win percentage in the Northwoods League, and joining the Eau Claire Express and the La Crosse Loggers as the only three teams in the Northwoods League with 40 wins at this point in the season. More importantly, the Woodchucks are now 19-10 in the second half, and with the win, pull just 1.5 games back of Lakeshore, the leaders, with just one full week and seven games remaining for both teams in the 2026 regular season. The Woodchucks also won the season series over Lakeshore with the victory and secured the tiebreaker over the Chinooks if it comes into play.

Wausau now looks to complete the second step of its mission by hosting the Lakeshore Chinooks tomorrow, with first pitch at 1:05 p.m. at Athletic Park. If Wausau wins, they pull to just a half game behind Lakeshore in the Great Lakes West playoff race. Tomorrow, there is a Team Poster Giveaway at the ballpark while supplies last, presented by People's State Bank! In addition, kids 12 and under are welcome to run the bases after the game, which is presented by Culver's! There are only four total home games remaining in the 2026 regular season for the Woodchucks, and tickets for those games are on sale now online at woodchucks.com.

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Northwoods League Stories from August 1, 2026


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