Northwoods Wisconsin Rapids Rafters

Rafters Let Early Lead Slip Away in Loss, 7-6

Published on July 27, 2013 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters News Release


Mequon, WI- George Ragsdale (Virginia) and Robbie Coman (Virginia) each added two hits and the Wisconsin Rapids Rapids (26-30, 7-14) scored six runs, but Aaron Machbitz (South Dakota State) added a grand slam in the third inning to lift the Chinooks passed the Rafters, 7-6, Saturday night at Kapco Park. The loss gave the series to the Chinooks at two games to one and the season series, six games to two. The Rafters have not won back-to-back games in the second half, with their last consecutive wins occurring June 29-30.

The game started off positively as Derek Peake (UW-Milwaukee) reached on a hit by pitch. Ragsdale followed with the first of two sacrifice bunts to advance Peake to second base to give the Rafters a runner in scoring position. After a fly ball out to center field, Rafters all-star, Jack Slaid (Montevallo), walked to give Wisconsin Rapids runners at first and third with two outs. Coman and Zack Belanger (Long Beach State) each followed with a double to center and right field respectively to plate three early runs to give the Rafters the advantage, 3-0.

Rafters starter, Brandon Schmidt (Central Arkansas), ran into some trouble in the third when inning when the Chinooks sent nine men to plate and Machbitz lauchned his first grand slam and first home run on the season to put the Chinooks on top, 4-3. The third inning successfully knocked Schmidt out of the ballgame and forced the Rafters to use three bullpen arms to piece together the rest of the game.

Lakeshore added two more runs in the fifth inning off reliever, Nick Maiers (St. Cloud State), collecting three base hits in the inning to extend the lead, 6-4.

Peake helped lead the comeback in the seventh inning after taking a fastball off the back for his third hit by pitch in the game, a Rafter season high. Ragsdale would follow with his first base hit of the game and Dewees added his fifth hit in the last two nights to score the tying runs to even the score, 6-6.

Taylor Durand (Western Carolina) relieved Maiers in the seventh and worked a perfect one-two-three seventh inning before struggling in the eighth inning walking three-straight batters and issuing a wild pitch to Sawyer Polen to score the game's winning run.

Ragsdale added his second base hit of the game to give the Rafters a runner on in the ninth inning, but Mitch Sewald came in close the game and induced and inning-ending ground ball to secure the win for Lakeshore, 7-6.

The Rafters will return home Sunday night to open up an eight-game home stand that will begin with two games against the St. Cloud Rox. Sunday's game will mark the first meeting of the season for the Rafters against a north division opponent with first pitch coming at 5:05 p.m. The eight-game home stand is the longest of the season and includes six games against clubs with winning records. Rafters fans can listen to tomorrow night's ballgame by tuning into 1320 AM WFHR or by tuning into the leagues YouTube channel.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 27, 2013


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