Northwoods Wisconsin Rapids Rafters

Rats' Bats Come up Short in Loss

June 7, 2014 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters News Release


Mequon, WI - Coming into Saturday's game, you wouldn't blame the Rafters (2-10) if they played dejected and defeated. Having lost 7 in a row coming into the evening's contest, Wisconsin Rapids battled the Lakeshore Chinooks (9-3) but came up short once again in a 4-2 loss.

Buoyed by the arrival of three new players, the Rafters took an early lead in the top of the 1st as newcomer Zack Domingues (Long Beach State) was driven in on a RBI single from Ryan Burns (Virginia Tech). The Rafters made Chinooks' starter Ben Messenger (UW-Oshkosh) work hard but couldn't do any further damage in Messenger's three innings of work.

With Wisconsin Rapids' bullpen fatigued it was essential that starter John Kravetz (Illinois) put together a solid start. Kravetz was great in his seven innings, but had two trouble innings that the Rafters couldn't recover from. After getting the first two outs in the top of the 2nd, Kravetz walked the six hole hitter Brett Siddall (Canisius). The very next pitch thrown to second baseman Jake Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) was laced into right field for an RBI triple. The Chinooks would tack on two more in the bottom of the third for the only runs charged against Kravetz.

Against a good pitching staff like Lakeshore's it would be tough enough to come back. Throw the fact that the Rafters brought in a league worst .187 team batting average and the task grew even tougher. Wisconsin Rapids put runners on, but at the end of the night the Rafters stranded 10 men on base.

The Rafters put together one last rally in the top of the 8th when the first two runners reached base and were promptly sacrificed into scoring position by Cullen Gassaway (Arkansas). Lakeshore closer Andrew Elliott (Wright State) was immediately brought in and slammed the door on the Rafters. He struck out four in a row before allowing a groundout to end the game for his third save of the year.



Northwoods League Stories from June 7, 2014


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