Northwoods Wisconsin Rapids Rafters

Stroik's Strong Outing Not Enough As Rafters Fall in Extras, 4-3

Published on July 26, 2013 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters News Release


La Crosse, WI- The La Crosse Loggers added two runs in the eleventh inning and Branden Defazio hit the game-winning RBI single Thursday night at Copeland Park as the Rafters lost a tough, 4-3, game in extra innings. The loss was the second-straight for the Rafters in extra innings in as many games.

Jackson Slaid set the tone for Thursday night's game when the Montevallo prospect added a home run to right field on a 2-2 pitch to give the Rafters the early lead, 1-0. The home run pushed Slaid ahead of fellow teammate, Erik Payne, for the Northwoods League home run lead at 12. The Rafters are currently the only team in the league to have two players occupy the a spot in the top five in the home run leader board standings.

The story of Thursday nights game wasn't about offense as both starting pitchers combined to throw 14 innings, allowing just two runs throughout the games first seven frames. Brad Stroik, pitching for the fourth time this year against the Loggers, threw seven strong innings and fanned six batters while allowing just a single run.

The lone mistake of the evening by Stroik occurred in the six inning when Michael Katz roped a solo-home run to right field, his ninth of the season, to tie the game, 1-1.

From there, the game would be decided by the bullpen's as both Stroik and Steve Hagen each departed after the seventh as the Rafters combined to toss three bullpen arms, including Northwood's League All-Star, JP Feyereisen.

Zack Belanger put the Rafters on top in the 10th inning when the Long Beach State freshman lifted a solo home run to centerfield to put the Rafters on top, 2-1. The home run was the third of the season for Belanger and his first since June 14 against the Eau Claire Express at Carson Park.

The Loggers though, for much of the night, had an answer. Katz launched his second home run of the game in the 10th with two outs to tie the game up, 2-2. The home run by Katz marked his first multi-home run game of the season and all four runs in the games first 10 innings were scored with two outs, while all four occurred on solo shots.

George Ragsdale helped the Rafters add another run in the 11th by reaching on a hit by pitch. The hit batsman was the first free pass of the day allowed by the Loggers pitching staff. Derek Peake followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Ragsdale up to second. After an infield hit by Donnie Dewees moved Ragsdale to third, the Rafters added their third run of the game on a stolen base by Dewees, his 18th of the season. Ragsdale would come around to score after the ball took a hop off the glove of Defazio and scampered in to center field to give the Rafters the lead for the third time, 3-2.

Tyler Willman replaced JP Feyereisen in the 11th inning. Bobby Juan led the inning off by doubling off the wall in deep center. He would later be pinch-ran for by Eric Toole. Willman would retire the next two batters via a strikeout and a fielder's choice, but gave up a walk to Rei and a single to Defazio to plate the games final two runs. The 11th was the only inning of the game either team collected multiple runs and the inning and marked the first time the two teams scored without the aide of the home run.

The win gave the Loggers the season series against the Rafters six games to four, including victories in the final three games of the series.

Wisconsin Rapids continue their four-game road trip tomorrow when they open up a three-game series at Kapco Park against the Lakeshore Chinooks. The two teams will play a double header tomorrow with the first game starting at 4:05 p.m. with the second occurring approxiametly 35 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Fans can listen to both games by tuning into the radio broadcast on WFHR AM 1320. The Rafters are 1-4 this season against the Chinooks.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 26, 2013


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