Rafters Lead Disappears in Narrow Defeat to Chinooks

Published on July 17, 2021 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters News Release

MEQUON, WI - The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (22-25) could not hold on to an early lead, losing 3-2 to the Lakeshore Chinooks (22-25). The Rafters were swept by the Chinooks for the second consecutive two-game series.

The Rafters jumped on the Chinooks early. Sterling Hayes (Creighton) led off the ballgame with a double. McKinley Erves (LaGrange) would later line a double down the right field line scoring Hayes. Marco Castillo (Claremont McKenna) added an RBI single up the middle to finish off a two run first inning.

Devin Rivera (Villanova) was excellent in his first career start. He threw four innings of shutout baseball striking out five Chinooks on just two hits. Donavan Brandl (Wisconsin-Whitewater) allowed just one earned run over two innings of relief. However, the Chinooks would cut a 2-0 lead in half with an unearned run scoring on a fielders' choice in the sixth.

Lakeshore took a 3-2 lead in a two run bottom of the seventh courtesy of two walks, one infield base hit and an error. Zach Bennett (Central Florida) pitched the Rafters out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh before twirling a scoreless eighth inning.

Wisconsin Rapids loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with three consecutive runners reaching with two outs. Weston Eberly (Columbia) and Blake Mann (St. Mary's) had back-to-back base hits but the Rafters struck out to end the game.

Hayes, Erves and Mann all had two hit days for the Rafters. The team left nine runners on base over the course of the game.

The Rafters continue their four game road trip in Wausau tomorrow facing their rivals the Wisconsin Woodchucks. Rafter Wyatt Thompson (Chapman, 3.94 ERA) and Woodchuck Dylan MacCallum (Pepperdine, 2.31 ERA) are the probable pitchers. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM and the game can be heard on WFHR AM 1320.

Northwoods League Stories from July 17, 2021

• Stingers Take Game 1 of Series Opener in Bismarck - Willmar Stingers
• Booyah Magic Runs Short - Green Bay Rockers
• Rox Fall Late in Waterloo, Keep League's Best Record - St. Cloud Rox
• Mallards Shut-Out Chinooks in First of Two-Game Set - Madison Mallards
• Rafters Valiant Rally Falls Short, Drop First Game to Woodchucks - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
• Four Run Sixth Inning Helps MoonDogs Take Game One over Huskies - Duluth Huskies
• Clutch Hits Lead MoonDogs Back to Win Column in Duluth - Mankato MoonDogs
• Woodchucks Efficient in Win over Rafters - Wausau Woodchucks
• Winning Streak Comes to End for Traverse City - Traverse City Pit Spitters
• Mallards Look to Bounce Back in Mequon - Madison Mallards
• Kingfish Split Series with Kokomo - Kenosha Kingfish
• Logan Lee Named to All-Star Team - Green Bay Rockers
• Booyah Welcome Division Leaders - Green Bay Rockers
• Loggers Head into All-Star Break in 3rd Place After Loss - La Crosse Loggers
• Rivets Stun Growlers in Comeback Win, Split Series - Rockford Rivets
• Growlers Lose Series Finale 7-5 to Rivets - Kalamazoo Growlers
• Mankato Falls Victim of Another Two-Game Sweep to Eau Claire - Mankato MoonDogs
• Comeback Kids at It Again - Duluth Huskies
• Booyah Walk-Off Again, Sweep Mallards - Green Bay Rockers
• Sixth Inning Explosion Leads Rochester to Series Split - Rochester Honkers
• Rafters Lead Disappears in Narrow Defeat to Chinooks - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
• Rox Battle Back to Earn Series Split against Larks - St. Cloud Rox

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