By Nick Winstead

Battle Creek, Mich.— The Bombers were able to bring home their first victory at home in a game against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters that started late and went into extras. Following an extended period of rain at C.O. Brown stadium the field was not quite ready to play, forcing an hour delay of the first pitch while the grounds crew worked to dry out the field.

Once the game got under way Jacob Waguespack (Ole Miss) went to work from the mound. It was Waguespack’s second start of the season and he did not disappoint—finishing the night with 8 strike outs while only giving up two hits in five innings of work.

“Fastball command was great on both sides of the plate” said the 6’6’’ right-hander. “I was trying to attack hitters.”

Along with a great start from Waguespack, or Wags as his teammates call him, the Bombers bats were at work early. Laz Rivera (Univ. of Miami) came around to score in the first to give the Bombers the lead early.

After tacking on another run in the third Bombers first baseman Matt Dacey (Univ. of Richmond) extended the Bombers lead to 4-0 with a two-run bomb to right field, his first home run of the summer.

In the top of the sixth the Rafters were able to plate three runs, cutting the Bombers lead to one. A strong outing by Dakota Mekkes (Michigan State) put the Bombers in position to win their first game at home of the season when Josh Leon came in for the save.

Erik Payne had different ideas though. He crushed a first pitch fastball over the fence in left center to send the game to extra innings.

After a scoreless tenth inning for both squads Henri Lartigue (Ole Miss) opened up the bottom half of the inning with a shot up the middle for a single. Sebastian Diaz (Univ. of Miami) successfully bunted him over to second to allow his fellow Hurricane a chance to bring him home with one out.

Rivera hit a grounder to Erik Payne at shortstop who fired the ball wide to Rafters first baseman Kyle McHugh. Lartigue was sent home on the errant throw and would cross the plate beating a late throw from McHugh to give the Bombers their first win at home.

Following the game Field Manager Dan Trivett was elated with the way his team preformed.

“That was Bomber baseball right there” commented Trivett. “Some great clutch hitting, great small hitting. We bunted the ball well. We played a good brand of baseball.”

The Bombers will take on the Rafters again Tuesday and look for their first sweep of the year. First pitch will be at 10:00am.

Game Notes:

SP: Jacob Waguespack 5 IP, 8 K, 2 H, 0 ER

WP: Josh Leone (1-0) 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 SO

HR: Matt Dacey (1), Justin Stawychny (1)

The Battle Creek Bombers are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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, more than 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). For more information, visit www.battlecreekbombers.com