Green Bay now prepares for postseason starting Sunday at Warner Park against Madison
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.- In the final game of the regular season, the Green Bay Rockers fell to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 4-2 Saturday night at Witter Field, closing out their 2023 regular season campaign with a record of 41-31 which is good for first in all the Great Lakes West division.
Despite striking first on the road, the Rockers could not comeback from a late three-run deficit, as they now prepare for the 2023 Northwoods League Playoffs beginning Sunday afternoon at Warner Park against the Madison Mallards.
After a scoreless bottom of the first from Ty Thurman (Colorado State-Pueblo) on the mound, Henry Chabot (Chapman) gave the Rockers an early 1-0 lead through an inning and half, after hitting an RBI sacrifice fly to hand the visitors the early advantage at Witter Field.
Following a scoreless second and third inning from Thurman to finish his outing with three shutout frames pitched, the Rafters scored three runs in the fourth off RBIs from Jack Gifford (Cabrillo College), and Ty Johnson (Baylor), as the three runs scored handed the home team their first lead of the night at 3-1 through four innings of play.
In the fifth, both teams each traded zeros with the game still being at 3-1 in favor of the Rafters going into the sixth, with Green Bay looking to pull off a late game comeback to finish their regular season campaign in style.
However, Wisconsin Rapids added another run in the sixth on an RBI sacrifice fly from Gifford, with his second RBI of the night making it a 4-1 game entering the seventh as AJ Anzai (Chapman) headed out to the mound for the bottom of the seventh inning.
Anzai kept the Rockers in it down by three with a scoreless bottom of the seventh and eighth inning on the hill, and the ninth started off strong for the Rockers offense with a leadoff double from Kendal Ewell (Illinois-Chicago).
An RBI sacrifice fly from Mateo Matthews (Wagner College) cut the deficit to just two in the ninth, but a strikeout ended the game with the Rafters holding on for the 4-2 victory.
The Rockers will now prepare for the sub-divisional round of the 2023 Northwoods League Playoffs, with game one on Sunday set for a 4:05 p.m. first pitch against the Madison Mallards at Warner Park. Game two of the potential three-game series will take place Monday night at Capital Credit Union Park with first pitch set for 6:35 p.m.
Playoff tickets are on sale now. Visit www.greenbayrockers.com or call the ticket office at 920-497-7225 to reserve your seats today. The Rockers front office and Team Apparel Fan Shop at Capital Credit Union Park are located at 2231 Holmgren Way in Ashwaubenon. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm.
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The Green Bay Rockers 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. Now in its’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 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 325 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 www.greenbayrockers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rockers as your favorite team.