Northwoods Wisconsin Rapids Rafters

Rafters Score Early, Hang on to Top Eau Claire, 6-5

Published on June 23, 2013 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters News Release


Eau Claire, WI- The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters won a thriller Sunday at Carson Park over the Eau Claire Express, 6-5. J.P Feyereisen earned his league leading seventh save of the season and the Express left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth as the team earn their 13th win of the season. The win improved the Rafters to 13-12 overall and moved the team above the .500 mark for the first time since a 4-0 win over the La Crosse Loggers on June 3.

It was the Rafters who grabbed an early 3-0 lead after Jonathan Moroney reached on a double to leftfield, Zack Belanger then reached on a drag-bunt single followed by a two-run home run by Erik Payne off Eau Claire starter, Taylor Lehnert. The three-run inning gave the Rafters a much-needed cushion early.

The Rafters offense would strike again in the third inning, as the Rafters sent eight men to the plate against the Express starter. Taylor Stell reached on a hit-by pitch and Moroney followed with a double to right field to plate Stell, extending the Rafters lead to four. Belanger and Payne both added singles and Jeremy Montalbano reached on the second hit batsmen of the inning to give the Rafters the bases loaded with one out. The final run of the inning would come when Marcus Wheeler roped a fly ball to right field that bounced in front of Daniel Kile. The play was ruled a fielders choice as Kile caught Montalbano in-between first and second. The Rafters would not score again the rest of the ballgame.

The Express would battle back to make it close as Eau Claire scored the games final five runs over the seven innings. The Express added single tallies in the fourth and seventh innings off home runs by Chane Lynch and Jose Vicaido Jr. to draw the game within striking distance, 6-2.

Justin Peters (1-1) worked seven and 1/3 innings and earned his first win of the season while yielding way to five runs. The seven plus innings of work was the deepest a Rafters starter has gone this season and came on the heels of Rafters ace, John Kravetz's, seven innings of work Saturday evening.

Peters began to tire in the eighth as he opened the frame by issuing a single to Blake Schmidt. Charlie White would reach on and error and Mike Porcaro would advanced to first after Peters issued his first hit-by pitch of the game. All three runners would eventually come in to score to make the game, 6-5.

Feyereisen was summoned in the ninth as the UW-Stevens Point pitcher walked two batters and hit a man to load the bases in the ninth before striking out Tim Zier and Lynch to end the game.

The game was the final game of a three-game series at Carson Park with the Rafters claiming the rubber match to move to 2-1 against the Express this season. The Rafters are now 3-1 on their current six-game road trip.

Wisconsin Rapids will travel to Madison, WI. Tomorrow for a 7:05 p.m. game against the Madison Mallards. The game is a make-up contest from a prior postponed game on June 12. The Rafters are 0-3 this season against the Mallards.

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Northwoods League Stories from June 23, 2013


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