Woodchucks Take Down Wisconsin Rapids for Seventh Straight Win
July 25, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wausau Woodchucks News Release
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI- After the Woodchucks went 6-0 in their longest homestand of the summer, there were questions about whether the Woodchucks could replicate that same success on the road.
Wausau answered those questions by picking up a hard-fought road win over Wisconsin Rapids on Friday night, taking down the Rafters 8-3. It's Wausau's seventh consecutive victory, which is the longest win streak for the Woodchucks since they won nine straight in Mid-June last season.
The Woodchucks also picked up their eighth win against Wisconsin Rapids this summer. They also picked up their fourth win at Witter Field in their final trip to the venue this summer.
Wausau got on the front foot in the first inning. With just one out, Max Soliz Jr. (Kansas) brought in the first run of the game on a groundout. Soliz now has 95 career RBIs with the Woodchucks, and 51 on the 2025 season.
In the second, Wausau got their first big inning of the night. Noah Malone (Loyola Marymount) brought in two runs with an RBI single to make it 3-0. The hit kept Malone red hot, as he now leads the Northwoods League in both batting average (.413) and on-base percentage (.541).
Christian Smith-Johnson (Texas A&M-CC) followed Malone with a two-RBI single of his own to push Wausau's lead to 5-0. Smith-Johnson now has driven in multiple runs in each of his last four games, his longest such streak this season.
The Rafters scored two runs in the second, and a run in the fourth to cut into Wausau's lead. But, in the sixth, Zach Knowlton (Central Michigan) responded with an RBI single to make the score 6-3. Knowlton finished the night 2-3 with two RBIs and a stolen base.
Wausau then got some insurance runs in the seventh. The Woodchucks started the inning by picking up three consecutive hits, and put the ball in play to drive runs in. Both Zach Knowlton and Keagan Jirschele (South Dakota State) earned RBIs on groundouts, and Wausau took an 8-3 lead that they would hold for the rest of the night.
Once again, pitching played a big part in the Woodchucks win. Zach Wyatt (Montevallo) earned a win for the fourth consecutive start, going six innings and striking out six, which ties his high for the summer. Two of those strikeouts came in crucial situations, as Wyatt got a punchout with the bases loaded to end the fourth inning, and another big strikeout with two runners on to end the sixth inning. Wyatt became just the second Woodchucks pitcher to record five wins this summer, joining Landon Sexton.
The bullpen backed him up in the late stages. Nate Ross (Central Michigan) retired all six hitters he faced, striking out a hitter in his fourth appearance of the season. Tanner Goswick (Keiser) struck out two batters in the ninth inning, as he faced the minimum in that frame to put the seal on Wausau's road win.
The Woodchucks are now 37-17 and are the only team in the Northwoods League to be 20 games above .500. Wausau also has the best record (16-3) in the league in the second half and are now 14-12 on the road this summer. Madison and Green Bay each won tonight as well, which means the Woodchucks are still three games ahead of each team in the second half Great Lakes West standings.
The Woodchucks will now travel to Mequon for the weekend and face off against the Lakeshore Chinooks. Wausau is 7-2 against Lakeshore this summer with a 2-2 record against the Chinooks on the road. It's Wausau's first trip to Lakeshore since late June.
The series starts with a seven-inning doubleheader at Kapco Park tomorrow, which was scheduled due to a postponed game between the two teams earlier in the week. Game one will be played at 3:35 p.m., with game two to follow. Wausau will be the road team in game one, but will serve as the home team in the second game.
The next game for the Woodchucks at Athletic Park is on Thursday, July 31, when Wausau hosts the Green Bay Rockers. That night is Ode to Pickleball night at Athletic Park, with a pickleball paddle giveaway, presented by Festival Foods! The first 500 fans through the gate will receive a free Woodchucks-themed pickleball paddle to take home, so be sure to come early and score this awesome giveaway next week! Tickets are still available for the Woodchucks' remaining home games this season and can be purchased online at woodchucks.com.
Northwoods League Stories from July 25, 2025
- Chinooks' Comeback Bid Falls Short in Green Bay - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Rivets Let Lead Slip Away vs Growlers, Finish Road Trip Winless - Rockford Rivets
- Woodchucks Take Down Wisconsin Rapids for Seventh Straight Win - Wausau Woodchucks
- Sold-out Crowd Sees Rox Sweep Minot with 8-3 Victory - St. Cloud Rox
- Cole Kosciusko Crushes Walk-off Homer as Madison Mallards Defeat Fond du Lac - Madison Mallards
- Ballenilla's Pair of Home Runs Lift Green Bay - Green Bay Rockers
- Huskies Bounce Back with Critical Win over the Bucks, 8-3 - Duluth Huskies
- Offense Revives, Growlers Sweep Doubleheader - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Dock Spiders Drop a Heartbreaker the Mallards - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Spitters Extend Winning Streak to 13 in 11-2 Win - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Stingers Hold On Against Border Cats - Willmar Stingers
- Rivets Crushed by Growlers to Begin Doubleheader - Rockford Rivets
- Logs Leave 16 on Base in 8-6 Loss - La Crosse Loggers
- Rockers Back at Home for Game Two against Lakeshore - Green Bay Rockers
- Traverse City Walks off Kenosha in Opener - Kenosha Kingfish
- 'Nooks Out-Slugged by Rockers - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Turner Blasts Three-Run Walk-Off Homer, Express Win 8-6 - Eau Claire Express
- Big Sticks Shut out Honkers 13-0 en Route to Fourth Straight Win - Badlands Big Sticks
- Stingers Lose Two in Thunder Bay - Willmar Stingers
- Rox Win Third Game in a Row with 8-5 Win over Minot - St. Cloud Rox
- Piasecki Walk off Brings Spitters Streak to 12 - Traverse City Pit Spitters
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