Northwoods Wisconsin Rapids Rafters

Moroney's Late Four RBI Lift Rafters in Thriller

June 28, 2013 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters News Release


Wisconsin Rapids, WI- Jonathan Moroney added four-hits, including the game-winning RBI, and the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (16-14) scored nine runs over the games final five innings to storm back and shock the Eau Claire Express (11-18) in an improbable come from behind win Friday night at Witter Field, 9-8 in 10 innings. The four-hits by Moroney was his first four-hit game of the season and included four-RBI over the games final four innings.

Donnie Dewees, Jeremy Montalbano and Moroney all launched home runs in the sixth, seventh, and ninth inning as the Rafters battled back from a seven-run deficit to tie their franchise-high for wins in a single half with 16.

The Express opened the game by scoring seven early runs off Rafters starter, Justin Peters. Peters threw just four complete innings in his fourth start of the season, while yielding seven runs to give Eau Claire an early 7-0 lead.

Matt Menard ignited the six-run fourth inning by reaching on an error. The next eight Express batters would reach base, tallying six runs all unearned, courtesy of three Rafter errors.

The early deficit setup up a thrilling come from behind was Stell, batting in the sixth inning reached on an infield hit. Dewees would follow with a two-run home run to right-center field to get the Rafters on the board, 7-2. The home run was the fifth of the season for Dewees, as the North Florida Osprey now has clubbed three home runs in an eight-day span.

Montalbano led off the seventh inning by hunting a first-pitch fastball as Montalbano lifted the baseball over the left field wall for his second home run of the season, his second at Witter Field. The home run by Montalbano was part of a three-run inning that saw the Rafters send eight men to the plate. Erik Payne followed with a hard-hit single to left field and Robbie Coman pinch-hit for Charlie Curl to deliver the third hit of the inning to give the Rafters runners at first and second with no body out. George Ragsdale pinch-ran for Coman at first and came on as a defensive replacement the rest of the game. Stell added his seventh extra-base hit to bring in the second run of the inning as Payne scored from second. Ragsdale was retired on an outfield assist from Charlie White trying to score at home for the second out of the inning. Stell scored the third run of the frame by coming around on an RBI single by Moroney to bring the Rafters to within two runs, 7-5.

The Express scratched across their eighth run of the evening Greg Hairisis scored on an error, making the score. 8-5.

The Rafters would score the games final three runs as Moroney recorded the games added four-RBI in the final four innings. Stell reached on a walk and Moroney launched his third home run of the season over the center field wall to bring the Rafters within one-run, 8-7. Zack Belanger scored the game-tying run in the ninth after reaching on a base on ball. Belanger scored from third on a wild pitch by Express closer, Tyler Sparger, and sent the game into extra innings with Michael Jurgella at the plate.

The Rafters improved to an even 3-3 in games decided in extra innings as JP Feyereisen pitched a perfect one-two-three 10th inning to earn his second win in the last four games. The UW-Stevens Point product has now twirled an impressive 19.1 innings pitched without allowing an earned run.

The game winning run scored on an RBI base knock by Moroney after Ragsdale reached on an error and Sparger allowed Stell and Dewees to reach on a hit-by-pitch and a walk to load the bases. With Moroney standing at the plate and the infield drawn in, the Aggie launched a fastball in the hole between first and second to score the game-winning run. The walk-off win was the fifth of the season for Wisconsin Rapids and came just four days after the Rafters came from behind to top the Green Bay Bullfrogs in 12 innings Monday night.

The Rafters will return to action tomorrow when they open up an important three game series with division leading, La Crosse Loggers. The Rafters will begin the evening three games back with only five remaining in the first half of the Northwoods League season. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. and fans can tune in to tomorrow's broadcast by listening on WFHR AM 1320.



Northwoods League Stories from June 28, 2013


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