FOND DU LAC, WI – The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders fell in both ends of their doubleheader, losing 10-6 and 9-3 to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters on Sunday at Herr-Baker Field.
The losses dropped the Dock Spiders to 22-18 on the season, 3-3 in the second half. The wins saw the Rafters improve to 34-7 on the year and 5-1 in the second half.
Both games of the doubleheader were marked by big first innings for Wisconsin Rapids. In game one, the Rafters scored three in the first. They would then score in each of the next three innings to take an 8-0 lead over the Dock Spiders. Over the first four innings, the Rafters used five extra-base hits, including home runs from Brendan Bobo (Cal State Fullerton) and Garrett Broussard (Utah Valley).
The Dock Spiders would battle back in the fourth with three runs off two sacrifice flies and a Rafters error to make it 8-3. In the seventh and the final inning, the Dock Spiders would tally three runs off an RBI single from Kemp Alderman (Ole Miss) and an error. Both Grant Hussey (West Virginia) and Branden Comia (Illinois) tallied multi-hit games in game one.
Cam Nolet (1-1, Wilson College) took home the win while Tyler Tornberg (2-1, Rutgers) took the loss. Malaki Vetok (Creighton) earned his first save of the year.
In game two, the Rafters exploded for six runs in the first inning off four hits, an error, two walks, a hit batter and five wild pitches. They would tally another run in the second off Bobo’s second home run of the day to build the advantage to 7-0 before Andrew Sojka (CSUN) hit his first home run of the summer to put the Dock Spiders on the board. At 414 feet, it was the longest home run by a Dock Spiders hitter this year.
The Dock Spiders would score another in the fourth with an RBI double from Jack O’Dowd (Texas), and answered back after the Rafters scored two in the top of the fifth with a solo home run from Tyeler Hawkins (Louisville) to make it 9-3. Jake Dahl (2-1, Utah Tech) earned the victory in game two while Reed Gallant (2-2, Rice) took the loss.
The Dock Spiders and Rafters will switch venues before playing tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids.
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’ 28th 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 280 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 (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit dockspiders.com 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.
