Wisconsin Rapids, WI— It was the longest game of the year for the Rafters as they battled it out with the Green Bay Rockers in game 2 of the doubleheader. The Rats survived a late scare and took down the Rockers 10-9. Each team grabbed 10 hits.
The bottom of the second was underway and Brendan Bobo walked. Hanson hit a line drive into the second baseman and Bobo scored. An Early 1-0 lead, but Green Bay responded. Back to back hits in the 4th inning for Green Bay and Aj Anzai hit a double into right field to send Zielinski and Hernandez home. Holman then scored on a passed ball. The Rockers jumped in front 3-1.
The Rats responded with an abundance of runs in the 4th. Conniff and De Goti both singled while Hanson walked. With the bases loaded and no outs, Alex Duffey hit a hard ground ball into center field to bring Conniff and De Goti home. The Green Bay bullpen staff really had trouble finding the strike zone as Sailors and Johnson walked. Bobo then walked, which brought Duffey home as well as Sailors who scored on a wild pitch. The runs kept piling in as Johnson scored from a passed ball. Wisconsin Rapids had. 5 run inning with 3 to take a 6-3 lead. Another run came in the bottom of the 5th as Galason hit a low fly ball that went underneath the glove of the left fielder to send Duffey to score.
Wisconsin Rapids kept building on their lead with 3 more runs in the bottom of the 6th. Bobo walked and Broussard hit a low fly ball into left field to get himself to second. The Indiana product, Jorge De Goti, laced a ball into right field to bring Bobo home. Duffey then stepped up once again with a single to left field to allow Broussard and Conniff to cross home plate. The Rats had a commanding 10-3 lead, but this game was long from over.
The top of the 8th rolled around and Green Bay started to swing the bats. Jones and Anzai both walked and that brought up the Wagner College infielder, Mateo Matthews. Matthews belted a hit into right center field to send in 2 runs. Zielinski then got out on a high fly ball to right field, but Matthews scored. Green Bay cut this to a 4 run ballgame.
The final inning of baseball and Green Bay changed the momentum in a hurry. 2 walks and a single brought in the final pitcher of the night, Alec Burnett. A wild pitch allowed Jones to get home and Matthews came through for Green Bay once again as he pulled a hit into right center field to send Holman and Anzai home. There was a runner on second and no outs. The Rockers cut it to a 1 run game, but Alec Burnett came up big in the clutch. He struck out 2 of the past 3 batters to lift the Rafters to victory.
This game was the longest of the year as it was a 3 hour and 50 minute game. It was due to the fact that the pitching staff struggled on both sides. 22 combined walks with 20 hits made way for a poor day for the pitching staff for both sides. It was a long day of baseball, but the Rafters swept the Rockers to win the 5th straight game. They improved to 6-4 in the second half and 26-19 overall.
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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]
