
Rafters Pull off a Tremendous Victory, Split the Series with Wausau
Published on June 20, 2023 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters News Release
Wisconsin Rapids, WI- Wisconsin Rapids pull off a stunning victory to take down Wausau 3-2. They out hit the Woodchucks 8-3 and played exceptional on both sides of the ball.
Josh Howitt got the start on the mound and was dealing early. He threw 5 total strikeouts, but the Woodchucks drew 1st blood in the bottom of the 3rd. Wausau 1st baseman Jake Baker, was hit by a pitch and a couple walks came after that. That allowed the bases to be loaded with 1 out. A passed ball from Josh Howitt had Baker dart home from 3rd and give the Woodchucks a 1-0 lead.
The Rafters found themselves not finding any momentum on the offensive side until the 6th inning. Levi Jensen singled to left field and Ty Johnson doubled into right. The Rafters had runners on 2nd and 3rd with Brendan Bobo up. Bobo has been struggling prior to today, but this time at bat he was not going to be denied. On the first pitch, he belted a ball into deep left center field for a 3 run home run, his first homer of the year. The Rafters went up 3-1 and the spirits were high.
Creighton product and returning Rafter, Malakai Vetock, was brought in for the pitching duties. He tallied 3 strikeouts, but the Woodchucks came back with a run of their own once again. In the bottom of the 8th the center fielder, Dalton Pearson, who hit a home run yesterday did it once again today. He flew a ball into left center field that just had enough distance to go over the wall. The game became a 1 run ballgame.
Shane Taylor and Logan Hugo each got a hit in the top of the 9th, but unfortunately the Rafters could not cash in any of the runs in. The bottom of the 9th came around and the Westcliff product, Julian Tristan, stepped on the mound. Wausau made a quick attack as Berkland was hit by a pitch and Wallace pulled a ball into left field. There were runners on 1st and 3rd and nobody out. Tristan stepped up in the clutch and recorded back to back strikeouts. Simon Sherry was due up and the play of the game was made. Sherry hit a hard ground ball into Taylor at 3rd as he dove out to his left, fielded the ball in his glove, and gunned Sherry down at 1st. The Rafters pulled off a tremendous victory.
Wisconsin Rapids improves to 11-10 and splits the series with Wausau. The Rafters have their 1st doubleheader tomorrow as they head to Green Bay for both. First pitch is scheduled at 12:05 and the second game is slotted at 6:35.
Wisconsin Rapids, WI- Wisconsin Rapids pull off a stunning victory to take down Wausau 3-2. They out hit the Woodchucks 8-3 and played exceptional on both sides of the ball.
Josh Howitt got the start on the mound and was dealing early. He threw 5 total strikeouts, but the Woodchucks drew 1st blood in the bottom of the 3rd. Wausau 1st baseman Jake Baker, was hit by a pitch and a couple walks came after that. That allowed the bases to be loaded with 1 out. A passed ball from Josh Howitt had Baker dart home from 3rd and give the Woodchucks a 1-0 lead.
The Rafters found themselves not finding any momentum on the offensive side until the 6th inning. Levi Jensen singled to left field and Ty Johnson doubled into right. The Rafters had runners on 2nd and 3rd with Brendan Bobo up. Bobo has been struggling prior to today, but this time at bat he was not going to be denied. On the first pitch, he belted a ball into deep left center field for a 3 run home run, his first homer of the year. The Rafters went up 3-1 and the spirits were high.
Creighton product and returning Rafter, Malakai Vetock, was brought in for the pitching duties. He tallied 3 strikeouts, but the Woodchucks came back with a run of their own once again. In the bottom of the 8th the center fielder, Dalton Pearson, who hit a home run yesterday did it once again today. He flew a ball into left center field that just had enough distance to go over the wall. The game became a 1 run ballgame.
Shane Taylor and Logan Hugo each got a hit in the top of the 9th, but unfortunately the Rafters could not cash in any of the runs in. The bottom of the 9th came around and the Westcliff product, Julian Tristan, stepped on the mound. Wausau made a quick attack as Berkland was hit by a pitch and Wallace pulled a ball into left field. There were runners on 1st and 3rd and nobody out. Tristan stepped up in the clutch and recorded back to back strikeouts. Simon Sherry was due up and the play of the game was made. Sherry hit a hard ground ball into Taylor at 3rd as he dove out to his left, fielded the ball in his glove, and gunned Sherry down at 1st. The Rafters pulled off a tremendous victory.
Wisconsin Rapids improves to 11-10 and splits the series with Wausau. The Rafters have their 1st doubleheader tomorrow as they head to Green Bay for both. First pitch is scheduled at 12:05 and the second game is slotted at 6:35.
Northwoods League Stories from June 20, 2023
- Honkers Lose 5-2, Fall into Tie Atop Great Plains East - Rochester Honkers
- Express Bounce Back with an Electric Win - Eau Claire Express
- Kenosha Tops Traverse City in Wild Matchup - Kenosha Kingfish
- Dock Spiders Topple Mallards - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Chinooks Swept by Rockers in Second Straight Loss - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Rafters Pull off a Tremendous Victory, Split the Series with Wausau - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
- Rockers Sweep Chinooks at Home - Green Bay Rockers
- Wausau Unable to Complete Comeback, Falls to Rapids - Wausau Woodchucks
- MoonDogs June 20 Game 2 Rained Out - Mankato MoonDogs
- Offensive Explosion Breaks Larks - Mankato MoonDogs
- Madison Routed by Fond du Lac, Prepare for Double-Header - Madison Mallards
- Rockford Rivets Sweep the Battle Creek Battle Jacks in 7-1 Victory - Rockford Rivets
- Battle Jacks Stifled by Rivets 7-1, Experience the Grind of the League - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Stingers Start Doubleheader off Strong, Silence Hot Tots 12-2 - Willmar Stingers
- Former Lakeshore Chinook and Battle Creek Bomber Grant Hartwig Debuts with the Mets - Northwoods
- Former Battle Creek Bomber Grant Hartwig Debuts with Mets - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Rockers Surging into Tuesday Night Matchup with Lakeshore - Green Bay Rockers
- Rockford Rivets Dominate Battle Creek Battle Jacks with a 15-1 Victory - Rockford Rivets
- One Big Inning Leads to Eau Claire Loss - Eau Claire Express
- Growlers Blank Jackrabbits in Series Opener - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Growlers Are Swept in Madison Despite Four Home Run Game - Kalamazoo Growlers
- Loggers Can't Crawl Back from First Inning Deficit, Lose to the Huskies 7-1 - La Crosse Loggers
- Wild Scoring Affair Favors Dogs in Win Over Bismarck - Mankato MoonDogs
- Dock Spiders Fall to Mallards 7-2 - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Honkers Beat Express 3-2 for Back-To-Back Wins - Rochester Honkers
- Kingfish Fall to Pit-Spitters in 8-5 Loss - Kenosha Kingfish
- Rivets Take Down Battle Jacks 15-1, Two Big Innings Sink the Ship - Battle Creek Battle Jacks
- Spitters Net the Kingfish - Traverse City Pit Spitters
- Larks Outlasted by Mankato, Lose Offensive Thriller - Bismarck Larks
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