Rafters Walk It Off Against The Mallards W
Rats bats come from behind late in 56th win of 2022
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. – There are a lot of physical traits that can be measured in life. There are even quite a few physical attributes that can be measured on a baseball diamond. However, one of those attributes is not clutchness, yet the Rafters have been clutch all season. Wisconsin Rapids walked it off for their seventh time this season to complete the season sweep of the Madison Mallards, 6-5.
Rafters starting pitcher, Donovan Brandl, held the Mallards scoreless in the top half of the first inning. Both teams traded zeroes with each other until the top of the third inning. A Josh Caron two-run bomb put the Mallards up 2-0. Brandl would finish throwing one more scoreless frame in the top half of the fourth and was done after that. He threw four innings while allowing two runs on three hits, four walks, and two strikeouts.
The Rats bats awoke in the home half of the fourth, as a Garrett Broussard two-run single tied the ballgame at 2-2. JJ Almeda came into pitch for the Rafters in the top half of the fifth. A bases-loaded walk issued by Almeda gave the Mallards the lead back, 3-2. However, an RBI sacrifice fly from Jacob Igawa tied the game back up for the Rafters at 3-3.
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The Mallards retook the lead in the top of the sixth off a pair of RBI singles to make it a 5-3 score. Almeda would throw a 1-2-3 top half of the seventh to end his night. The Rats bats came alive yet again in the home half of the seventh, as a Chase Call solo shot, his sixth of the year, brought the Rafters within one, 5-4.
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After Rafters reliever, Dawson Holbrook, retired Madison 1-2-3 in the top half of the eighth, Wisconsin Rapids tied it up in the home half. Heads-up baserunning from Levi Jensen allowed him to score on a wild pitch to tie it up yet again, 5-5.
After Cael Chatham threw a scoreless top half of the ninth, the Rafters needed just one run to win in the bottom of the ninth. After Chase Call reached base via a leadoff hit by pitch, he advanced to second on a balk. A Colin Tuft single put runners on the corners with none out. After a mound visit, the Mallards brought five players in to play on the infield, as they also issued out an intentional walk to Jacob Igawa. Andrew Semo then grounded out into a fielder’s choice for out number one. With the bases still loaded and one out, Garrett Broussard sent a 1-1 fastball into left field for an RBI single to give the Rafters a 6-5 victory. Cael Chatham earned his first win in the cranberry and gold. The Rafters also finished off the season sweep of the Mallards at 12-0.
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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 29th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, 300 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.
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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]
