WAUSAU, WI – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (0-2) opened their road schedule in Wausau and fell to the Wisconsin Woodchucks (2-0) 16-5 after allowing 19 walks.
After two scoreless innings, the Rafters were on the board first with a groundball to second off the bat of Blake Mann (St. Mary’s) that was missed by Noah Fitzpatrick, scoring was Elijah Dickerson (La Salle) who reached on a fielder’s choice.
In the bottom half of the third, Rafters starter Caden Favors (Seminole State) allowed five consecutive hits, resulting in four runs, highlighted by a RBI triple from Kevin Kilpatrick.
The Rafters responded in the fourth. Josh Nicoloff (Columbia) would score Weston Eberly (Columbia) with a sacrifice fly. Elijah Dickerson was hit by a pitch to bring home Andrew Duran (New Orleans) and Hank Zeisler (Chapman) would knock home Garrett Callaghan (Rutgers). The Rafters would tie the score at four.
Jacob Mrosko (Purdue) entered for the Rafters in the bottom of the fourth. He walked five batters and allowed three runs. In the fifth, Leon Finney (East Stroudsburg) came in relief and allowed three walks and an additional run. After five, the Woodchucks led 8-4.
J.D. Ogden (Columbia) threw a scoreless sixth but in the seventh Kevin Kilpatrick roped an RBI double and was brought in by Tyler Kehoe who delivered an RBI single. Two more Woodchucks would touch home plate, increasing the score to 12-4.
In the eighth, Pat Mahala (Georgetown) earned the first two outs followed by seven consecutive walks, bringing in four more runs.
The Rafters added one run in the ninth, a Mann double that scored Zeisler.
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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]
