Rafters Drown Dock Spiders in Doubleheader at Fond du Lac
A pair of Bobo homers blasts Rats to pair of win over Dock Spiders
FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters had a quick turnaround playing a doubleheader against the Dock Spiders in Fond du Lac. However, the Rafters were able to sweep the doubleheaders today against the Dock Spiders. The final score in game one was 10-6 and game two was 9-3.
The Rafters started off game one well with a two-run homer with Brendan Bobo in the top of the first to make it a 2-0 Rafters lead. Bobo took the lead in the Northwoods League now with nine homers. One more scored for the Rafters off an RBI fielder’s choice to make it 3-0. Rafters game one starter, Cam Nolet, threw a scoreless home half of the first. Two more scored in the top half of the second for the Rafters after RBI hits from McKinley Erves and Brendan Bobo to make it, 5-0.
Nolet shut down the Spiders again in the home half of the second. Garrett Broussard launched a solo homer to leadoff the top of the third to give the Rats a 6-0 lead. Nolet retired the side in order in the bottom of the third. Two more runs came across in the fourth, as the Rafters took a commanding 8-0 lead. Nolet gave up three runs in the bottom of the fourth, to make it a 8-3 game. Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth, as Malakai Vetock retired the Dock Spiders in order. Rafters scored two more in the top half of the sixth, including one of an RBI triple from Nate Nankil. The score remained 10-3 until the bottom of the seventh, when Vetock gave up three runs, but still got the final three outs to win the game, 10-6. Cam Nolet received his first win of the year, and Vetock received his first save of the season.
The Rafters picked up right where they left off in game two. They scored their first three runs in the top of the first via three wild pitches to go up 3-0. The Rafters first hit of the game was an RBI triple off the bat of Nate Nankil to go up 4-0. Two more runs scored after a Seth Stroh sacrifice fly and a Ben Ross RBI single to go up 6-0 by the end of the first inning. Jake Dahle, Rafters game two starter, retired the Dock Spiders in order in the home half of the first.
Brendan Bobo launched a solo homer, his 10th of the season, to take a 7-0 lead for the Rats in the second. Dahle gave up a solo homer in the home half, as the score moved to 7-1. Both teams were held scoreless in the third inning. The next team to score was Fond du Lac in the bottom of the fourth via an RBI double to make it a 7-2 game. Rafters scored two more in the top of the fifth to make it a 9-2 game. The Dock Spiders took Dahle deep once more in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 9-3 game. Ben Adams threw two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh to end the game for the Rafters. Jake Dahle earned his second win of 2022.
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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. Having completed its’ 28th 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, over 280 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. 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]
