WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI – The Dock Spiders (31-17) wrapped up the regular season with a four-hour, 11 inning marathon against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (35-11) that ended with the Rafters bringing home the winning run on a walk to win 9-8 on Thursday night.
Sam Novitske (University of Oregon) went 2-f0r-3 at the plate while scoring once to finish the regular season with a .307 batting average. Batting in relief of Novitske was Andrew McKenna (Santa Barbara City College) who went 1-for-3 and also came home and scored once. Tanner Smith (University of Oregon) put in a 1-for-4 night with one RBI and scored twice. Ryan Robison (Purdue University Fort Wayne) posted three RBI in his outing, highlighted by a long two-RBI double to left-center field that nearly left the yard in the sixth inning.
The sixth saw Fond du Lac score three runs to go out in front 8-5 at the time, but the Rafters’ offense was persistent, scoring runs in each of the first seven innings to consistently get on the board and keep the ballgame close. The Rafters tied the game at eight in the seventh, which is where it stayed for two and a half innings up into the bottom of the 11th when the Rafters walked it off after drawing a bases-loaded walk to come away with the win.
Logan Lange (Marian University) got the start on the mound for his first appearance with the Dock Spiders and went three and two-thirds innings and striking out two in his outing. Drew Day (Cincinnati-Clermont) tossed an inning and two-thirds and struck out two, and Danny Wizceb (Parkland College) also went just under two innings and fanned four batters in his appearance out of the bullpen. Jared Jones (IU Southeast) stole the show at the end of the game, pitching three innings and a third and allowing just one run on two hits and recording five strikeouts in his debut.
The Dock Spiders will host the Green Bay Booyah and play for the Wisconsin-Illinois East Division Championship tonight at Herr-Baker Field at Marian University at 6:35. Tickets are sold out but fans can tune in on KFIZ 1450 or at the “Listen Live” link on dockspiders.com.
The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.dockspiders.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Dock Spiders as your favorite team.