By Max Gun, Radio Broadcaster

Battle Creek, Mich.– The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters came into Battle Creek and snapped the Bombers six-game win streak Saturday night, using a combination of 14 hits and four Bombers errors to lead them to a game one win.

The Bombers struck first against the Rafters. Niko Pacheco (Cal St Fullerton) led off the inning with a double, and advanced to third base on a Tyler Reed (Spring Arbor) single. Pacheco then scored on a Cayce Bredlau (Austin Peay) RBI groundout to give Battle Creek a 1-0 lead.

But the Bombers lead was short lived. Wisconsin Rapids came back to tie the game in the third inning. Zack Domingues (Long Beach State) led off the frame with a single, and promptly swiped second base. He came around to score on a Brock Carpenter (Seattle) single to tie the game at 1-1.

Wisconsin Rapids went ahead with a big three-run sixth inning off of Bombers starter Scott Sensy (Saginaw Valley). Mitch McGeein (Eastern Michigan) led off the inning by hitting a solo home run to right-center field, his eighth of the season to give the Rafters a 2-1 lead. With one out, Domingues and Ernie Clement (Virginia) singled, and Sam Tolleson (Central Florida) singled them both home to put Wisconsin Rapids in front 4-1.

The Bombers wouldn’t go down quietly. They inched closer by scoring two runs in their half of the sixth. Bredlau and Ryan Budnick (Santa Clara) led off the inning with singles, and Matt Simmons (Gardner-Webb) followed by roping a single past McGeein at first base to plate them both. That brought Battle Creek within one run, with the score being 4-3 after six innings.

The Rafters added some insurance after Battle Creek committed multiple fielding errors on a single play. Domingues led off the seventh inning with a walk, and that set up Clement. Clement bunted down the first base line, and Sensy fielded and threw to first, but Reed missed the ball for an error. Domingues sprinted all the way to third base and appeared to stop there, but right fielder Gary Russo (Miami Ohio) was late getting the ball back into the infield, so Domingues turned on the jets and was able to score all the way from first base. That put the Rafters out in front, 5-3.

Wisconsin Rapids benefited from another Bombers error for some more insurance in the ninth. Clement led off with an infield single, and he advanced to third base after Chet Joslyn’s (Valparaiso) pickoff throw was wild for an error. Carpenter followed with an RBI-single to plate Clement and give the Rafters a 6-3 lead. Later in the inning, Carpenter scored on a Beau Jordan (LSU) RBI-single to make the score 7-3. The Rafters scored their final two runs on yet another Bombers error, this time after Pacheco failed to cover home plate on a foul out to the first baseman Dre Gleason. Jordan saw that nobody was covering home, so he took off for home and by the time Pacheco tried to get back to the bag, Gleason’s throw sailed wide and that allowed the trail runner Sandlin to also score and give Wisconsin Rapids a 9-3 lead.

The Bombers scored one run in the ninth after Josh Smith (Grand Valley) tripled and came home after the throw to third base went into the camera well for an error. The Bombers went quietly in the rest of the inning to have their six-game win streak snapped.

Selsey (0-1) took the loss in his Bombers debut. He went six and one-third innings pitched, and allowed 11 hits and five runs (four earned). He walked three and struck out three. Selsey was able to get ahead of Rafters hitters all night, but struggled at times to put them away. Selsey was a one-day rental and is not scheduled to appear in another game this season for the Bombers.

Jack Riley (5-1) (UCONN) picked up the win for the Rafters. He went six innings, and allowed seven hits and three earned runs. He didn’t issue any free passes, and he struck out five. Austin Palser (Sacramento City College) tossed two shutout innings out of the Rafters bullpen.

The Bombers are now 25-40 on the season. They will face Wisconsin Rapids in their final home game of the 2015 Northwoods League season on Sunday. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. EDT. Edgar Sanchez (Prairie View A&M) will get the start for Battle Creek.

Sunday is Strike Out Cancer Night presented by Allen Harmon Insurance. There will be a Strike Out Cancer Jersey Auction to benefit the Head for the Cure foundation & Bronson Cancer Care Center. Fans can enjoy a Cowbell Giveaway to the first 500 fans as well as a post-game firework show.