Wisconsin Rapids, WI– In a game in which the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters could clinch a first-half Great Lakes West Divisional Championship, the Rafters fell at home to the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders by a score of 6-2. The Dock Spiders used a stretch of five unanswered runs to spoil the Rafters’ possible celebration plans.
After each team exchanged zeros in the first inning of play, the Dock Spiders etched the game’s first run. After Fond du Lac’s Jared Heinzen reached on an error made by the Rafters’ Logan Hugo, Jacob Anderson would come up with two out in the inning. The Dock Spider second baseman would dispense a ball into right-centerfield, allowing Heinzen to score from second, giving Fondy a 1-0 lead.
But the Rafters would counter with a run of their own in the second inning. Following Chris Conniff reaching via a fielder’s choice, the Rafters would load the bases shortly afterward with Anthony Galason picking up a single and Levi Jensen reaching via a hit-by-pitch. With two outs, Ty Johnson would work a bases-loaded walk, scoring Conniff, and tying the game.
The Rafters were unable to capitalize on the momentum they gained by tying the game as Fond du Lac responded immediately. Following back-to-back singles by Connor Cooney and Travis Strickler to start the inning, Kirk Shrider turned to Logan Schulfer out of the bullpen. The right-hander quickly retired the first two hitters before giving up a bases-clearing, two-out double to Luke Novitske. The Dock Spiders would load them up later in the third but Schulfer worked his way out of it with just the two runs allowed (both runs were charged to Rafter starter Jackson Wentworth).
Fond du Lac would add three more runs in the top of the fifth inning, all of them coming with two outs. Luke Novistke would hit his second double of the game and would steal third during the next at-bat. With the runner on third, Drew Barragan grounded a ball up the middle that was bobbled by Luke Hanson at short, allowing Novitske to score. Following a Lorenzo Rios walk and a Jacob Anderson hit-by-pitch, the bases were full for Brady Katterhagen, and he came through. The Dock Spider catcher drilled a two-RBI double off the left field wall, making it a 6-1 game.
Wisconsin Rapids struggled to get anything going off Dock Spider starter Justin Doyle, they would only get their second and final run off the bullpen in the seventh inning. Luke Hanson led off the frame with a walk and would advance to second on a groundout hit by Levi Jensen. The next batter, Ty Johnson would smack a double down the left field line, easily scoring Hanson from second base. The Rafters cut the deficit down to four, making it 6-2, but that’s as close as it got.
The Rafters’ loss on Monday night means the first-half Great Lakes West Division title belongs to the Green Bay Rockers. Wisconsin Rapids finished the first half with a 20-15 record, and considering the team started with a 2-5 record, an 18-10 record to close out the half is nothing to scoff about.
Wisconsin Rapids will open their second half with a Fourth of July afternoon game at home with the Madison Mallards. Game one of the two-game series begins at 1:05 pm.
For rafters ticket offerings visit Raftersbaseball.com, call the Rafthouse at 715-424-5400, or come visit us over at historic Witter Field. The Box Office is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday at Witter Field, 521 Lincoln Street in Wisconsin Rapids.
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’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 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 325 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
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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]
