Rafters Reel in Kingfish for Season Sweep
Rats bats provide 15 runs on 17 hits to move to 25-4
KENOSHA, Wis. – The old saying goes in sports that “Defense wins championships.” That statement is very true, but the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters offense has had an incredible season and has been performing at a championship-caliber level. That trend continued tonight in the Rafters 15-3 demolition of the Kenosha Kingfish.
The Rafters started early and often tonight, putting five runs on the board in the first inning. Jacob Igawa had an RBI single to score the first run of the game. Then, Garrett Broussard had an RBI double to put the Rafters up, 2-0. Chase Call came up clutch with a two-run single, and then he came home on a pass ball to put the Rafters up 5-0.
After Rafters starter Xavier Rivas threw a scoreless bottom half of the first, the Rats bats were right back at it. Jacob Igawa had an RBI double, and Garrett Broussard had an RBI single to give Wisconsin Rapids a 7-0 lead. Harry Owen gave the Rats an 8-0 lead with another RBI single. Rivas threw another scoreless bottom half of the second, as in the third the scoring continued. For the third straight inning Jacob Igawa recorded an RBI hit. This time an RBI single got the job done and gave the Rafters a 9-0 lead.
After pitching out of a bases loaded jam in the third, Xavier Rivas exited the game after three scoreless innings of baseball, while striking out eight Kingfish. Logan Schulfer entered the game out of the bullpen for Wisconsin Rapids in the fourth. He threw a 1-2-3 bottom half of the fourth, as the Rafters took a 10-0 lead in the top of the fifth from another Jacob Igawa RBI single. Schulfer gave up three runs to the Kingfish in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 10-3 game.
Schulfer threw a scoreless sixth and then his night was done. Jacob James threw a scoreless seventh for the Rafters. In the top of the eighth, Seth Stroh mashed the only homer of the night, as a grand slam hit into the woods gave the Rats a 14-3 lead. Collin Kiernan 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth for Wisconsin Rapids. Harry Owen hit an RBI double in the ninth to put the Rafters ahead 15-3. Connor Kurki threw a scoreless bottom of the ninth to close out the game. Logan Schulfer got the win for the Rafters. Jacob Igawa went a perfect 4-for-4, while walking and being hit by a pitch as well, as he reached base six times out of the possible six plate appearances.
*************************************************
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 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, adminstration, 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]
