WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. — The La Crosse Loggers offense manufactured the runs it needed early and held on with pitching and defense late en route to a 6-5 win over Wisconsin Rapids at Witter Field on Saturday afternoon. The win is the third straight for the Loggers, sweeping the three-game set in Green Bay and Rapids, as the team’s record improved to 21-22 on the season. The Rafters fell to 30-11.

Braiden Ward (Washington) got the Loggers on the board in the top of the first inning, after hitting a single, stealing second and third, and scoring on a throwing error by the Wisconsin Rapids catcher. La Crosse was also able to take advantage of Rafters miscues in the second inning, scoring on an error and a passed ball to take a 3-1 lead.

Once again in the fourth, the Loggers scored two runs off a Wisconsin Rapids error to push the lead to 5-1, and tacked on their final run on an RBI single by Ronnie Sweeny (Minnesota) in the seventh inning. The Rafters scored once in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to close the margin, but a remarkable defensive play by Kobe Kato (Arizona) at second base closed out the game for the Loggers.

Mitch Lines (Boise State) earned the win for La Crosse, allowing three runs and six hits over five innings while striking out four. Erik Demchuk (Antelope Valley) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save.

Ward finished 1-for-3 with three RBI and three stolen bases, while Christian DiCochea (Washington) finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

The Loggers will host the Rafters on Sunday afternoon at Copeland Park with a 5:05 pm first pitch.