Rafters Win Historic 29th First Half Game in Green Bay
Rats bats hang double digit runs, 10-2, in historic win
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters have now done something that no other team has done in the 28-year history of the Northwoods League: win 29 games in the first half. The Rafters won their 29th game over the Green Bay Rockers by a score of 10-2 in a rain-shortened seven inning game.
The Rafters came out and were ready to play on America’s 246th Birthday. After loading the bases with only one out in the top half of the first, Garrett Broussard came through in the clutch with a one-out two-run single to put the Rafters up, 2-0. Harry Owen hit an RBI sacrifice fly to put the Rafters ahead 3-0 before Green Bay even touched a bat. Cam Nolet threw a scoreless bottom half of the first for Wisconsin Rapids.
Ben Ross made it a 4-0 game in the fourth after he got a two-out single, then came all the way home to score after a stolen base, a wild pitch, and then an E2 throwing error into left field. Nolet threw a scoreless second and third innings before he exited the game. He threw three scoreless innings, gave up only one hit, allowed two walks, and struck out one.
Jake Dahle came in the game for the Rafters to pitch in the fourth. He retired the side in order 1-2-3 in the fourth. The Rats bats came back alive in the top of the fifth, as Seth Stroh and Harry Owen each had an RBI single to put the Rafters ahead 6-0. Dahle retired the Rockers in order again in the bottom of the fifth.
Ben Ross hit his second inside-the-park homer of 2022 and his eighth homer overall to lead off the sixth inning, as he put the Rats ahead 7-0. Brady Jurgella made it an 8-0 game when he scored on an RBI groundout by Jacob Igawa. Garrett Broussard scored on another E2 throwing error by the Rockers, as he made it 9-0. However, Dahle gave up two Green Bay runs in the bottom half of the sixth to make it a 9-2 game. Ben Ross hit an RBI single in the seventh to make a 10-2 score. Cooper Robinson entered to pitch in the bottom half for the Wisconsin Rapids, but only after facing two batters, the game was put into a delay. After a little over half hour delay, the game was ruled final, and the Rafters received their historic 29th win. Jake Dahle was the winning pitcher for Wisconsin Rapids. Ross, Jurgella, Bobo, Broussard, and Stroh all had multi-hit afternoons, with Ross leading the way with three.
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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]
