Photo Courtesy: Amy Ackerman
FOND DU LAC, WI –It took a while, but it finally happened. The Dock Spiders are winless no more after taking game one of the series vs The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 9-6 on Fireworks Friday.. The Dock Spiders started the game trailing the Rafters after they put up three runs in the top of the second inning. It all started with a walk by Rafters third basemen Kyle Carlson (Piedmont College). The Rafters followed the walk with a single from left fielder Logan Hugo (Eastern Michigan), an RBI Single from Brant Voth (New Mexico State) to make the score 1-0 and then a two RBI single from second basemen Ty Johnson (McClennan Community College) pushed the lead to 3-0.
The three-run deficit didn’t stick around for long as the Dock Spiders answered the bell in the bottom of the inning. An error by the Rafters first basemen put Catcher Lorenzo Rios (Presbyterian) aboard, then a walk from designated hitter Paul Smith (Rice) set the Dock Spiders up for a big inning. In the next at bat, third basemen Jake Surane peppered an RBI single to score Rios, cutting into the Rafters lead, making the score 3-1. Second basemen Jack Gorman (Presbyterian) drew a walk and then another walk from Connor Cooney (Holy Cross) brought home Smith to make the score 3-2. Then an RBI groundout by Rios in the bottom of the third tied the game at 3 apiece.
The bats went quiet until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Dock Spiders put up four runs to take the lead 7-2, their first time leading in a game this season. The Dock Spiders ambushed bullpen pitcher right-handed pitcher Tucker Huhn as Connor Cooney and Drew Barragan (Embry Riddle) both laced singles to set up the rally. First basemen Seth Sweet-Chick (Nevada) then laced an RBI single to score Cooney, followed by an RBI single by Lorenzo Rios which brought Drew Barragan into score to take the lead 4-3. Then Dock Spider newcomer Paul Smith cranked an RBI single to score Sweet-Chick to make the score 5-3 in favor of the Dock Spiders. Then an RBI groundout by Jake Surane (Wisconsin-Oshkosh) topped off the four-run inning. The Rafters were able to find one run in the top of the seventh, but the Dock Spiders answered again using a Rios hit by pitch, two singles from Smith and Surane, then a two RBI single from Jack Peterson (Trinity) to take a 9-4 lead.
The Rafters weren’t ready to give up quite yet as they scratched two runs across in the top of the eighth inning, but it was Dock Spiders reliever Tanner Smith (Presbyterian) that sealed the deal striking out Rafters center fielder Brandon Rogers with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth to secure the 9-6 win. Dock Spider pitcher Mason Hill (Aquinas College) gets the win after going three innings pitched, two hits, two runs, and three walks. The Dock Spiders will be back in action tomorrow vs the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. First pitch is set for 6:35 PM CT.
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 recently completed its’ 29th 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 300 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 and on ESPN+. For more information, visit 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.
