Marshfield (OnFocus) – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (31-11) wrapped up their season series with the La Crosse Loggers (21-23) with an impressive performance in a 16-4 win on Sunday night. The Rafters scored 16 runs on 18 hits, the most for the Rafters in both categories in a game this season.
Andy Garriola was the catalyst for the Rafters offense in the first. After a Jason DiCochea hit by pitch, Garriola parked a two-run home run over the right-centerfield fence for his fifth home run of the season. After the Rafters added on three more runs in the second with Andy Garriola at the plate again. Garriola swung a line drive to left, scoring two more runs. Garriola was one of four Rafters with three hits on the night, and led the team with five runs batted in.
Relieving Billy Black was relieved by Donovan Brandl and Gage Smart. Brandl and Smart pitched 6.1 innings without allowing a La Crosse run, allowing the Rafters offense to pile on nine unanswered runs from innings four through eight. Brandl picked up his second win of the season with 3.1 innings scoreless and Smart earned his first save of the year.
With the win, the Rafters moved one step closer to a Wisconsin-Illinois Pod Regular Season Championship, three games ahead of the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders with four games remaining. Wisconsin Rapids can clinch the regular season title and home-field advantage for the postseason with a Fond du Lac loss and a win tomorrow against the Wisconsin Woodchucks.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
