Northwoods Wisconsin Rapids Rafters

Rafters Edge out Border Cats in a Close Game

Published on July 6, 2014 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters News Release


Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.- It took a couple comeback efforts but the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (14-26, 2-3) walked off with a win in their first ever matchup versus the Thunder Bay Border Cats (15-25, 1-4). Thanks to a RBI single in the bottom of the 9th by Taylor Stell (Texas) the Rafters won the game by a score of 7-6.

Stell picked up his first RBI of the year in the bottom of the second by hitting a ground ball off of the second base bag which allowed Zack Willoughby (Montevallo) to come home. Cullen Gassaway (Arkansas) would tack on a RBI single in the 4th to give the Rafters the 2-0 lead. That was a part of Gassaway's 2-2 day with two walks.

The top of the 5th was when the Border Cats made their charge. Robb Paller (Columbia) led off the frame with a solo home run to halve the Rafters lead. Thunder Bay would follow that up by sending eight batters to the plate and scoring four overall.

Wisconsin Rapids would respond immediately in the bottom of the inning. Clark Eagan (Arkansas) and Keelin Rasch (Louisana Monroe) picked up the RBIs as the top of the order for the Rafters sparked the comeback. However, the good vibrations would be short lived as Thunder Bay re-took the lead in the top of the 7th. Once again it was a solo home run to lead off the inning that did the initial damage, as Christian Correa (Nicholls State) hit his second blast of the season off of Rafters debutant Jake Cage (Azusa Pacific). The two runs in the top of the 7th came a half inning after the Rafters had loaded the bases with nobody out and failed to score one.

Wisconsin Rapids would not be disheartened as a Keelin Rasch RBI single in the 8th scored two and set the table for a dramatic 9th. After Nolan Blackwood (Memphis) retired the side in the top of the 9th, Zack Willoughby opened up the bottom of the 9th with a double off of the left field wall on the first pitch he saw. After the Rafters failed to lay down a sacrifice, up came Stell. The outfielder from Texas from playing in his first competitive game in 11 eleven months after suffering a knee injury, and the Rafters returnee sent 1,024 fans home happy when his bloop single gave the Rafters their second win in a row.

The two teams will finish off the series tomorrow night as Whiplash the Cowboy Monkey will be at Witter Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 pm.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 6, 2014


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