Rafters outlast Rockers in a Marathon Bout, win 13-10
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – It took five games, but the Rafters finally got the best of the Rockers.
They were 0-4 in their first-half matchups against Green Bay, being outscored 31-10 overall in those contests. But on Friday night, they flipped the script with a 13-10 victory at Witter Field.
The power surge that we saw Thursday against Madison reared its head again in this matchup, with WR launching three more home runs. Jack Mathey hit both a three-run homer and a grand slam, and Aidan Teel hit one of his own, his first as a Rafter. Mathey, who now leads the Rafters with five homers, finished the day 4-4 with seven RBI.
“I’m having good at bats and making adjustments pitch-to-pitch,” said Mathey after the game. “We’re just trying to get as many runners on base and as many guys home, that’s the name of the game.”
“He’s a great stabilizer, we knew he could hit when he came here,” said field manager Kirk Shrider.
Up 12-3 through five innings, Wisconsin Rapids looked primed to finish out the ballgame with little trouble. Until the final innings, where Ethan Breslin allowed six runs to make the score 13-9 entering the ninth frame.
“It just comes down to pitch-to-pitch… understanding that there’s a chance for a team to get back in it and go ahead and pound the zone,” said Shrider. “We didn’t do that.”
Thankfully for the Rafters, Nick Perry entered and slammed the door in the ninth to secure the victory.
Kenji Pallares got the start for Wisconsin Rapids and dazzled in four strong innings, allowing just two hits and one run. In his first appearance at Witter Field, Pallares provided much-needed stability from the jump. Rafter’s starters have now gone 12 total innings and yielded just four runs in the three games of the second half.
One of the more interesting storylines entering the matchup was Rockers starter Landon Victorian, who just graduated from high school and was making his NWL debut. He was recruited to LSU as the top right-handed pitcher out of Louisiana and one of the best pitchers in the country. He struck out the first two Rafters’ hitters he saw and finished with two scoreless innings.
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’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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 245 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 (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. 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.
****************************************************************
2023-24 Area Conference Schedules: Conference and Team Links
Know some top athletic performances? Seeing some great teams in action?
We can use your help, and it’s simple. Witness some great performances? Hear about top athletes and top teams in our area?
Athlete of the Week and Team of the Week:
Nominate an athlete or team: HERE
**********************************************
Pancakes or Waffles! We feature top area athletes with our world-renowned feature. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
College Athlete Roundup! We want to recognize student-athletes from the area who are competing at the college level. Send us information on college athletes from the area with our simple form HERE
Where are they Now? We feature athletes and difference makers from the past, standouts in sports who excelled over the years and have moved on. Know of a former athlete, coach, or difference maker who we should feature? Know of a former standout competitor whose journey beyond central Wisconsin sports is one we should share? Send us information on athletes and difference makers of the past with our simple form HERE
Baked or Fried! We also feature difference makers throughout central Wisconsin: coaches, booster club leaders, administration, volunteers, you name it. Send us your nominations for who you’d like us to interview HERE
We welcome your stories! Contact us at [email protected]!
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]
