Wisconsin Rapids, WI – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (29-29) defeated the Madison Mallards (40-18) 3-1 on Sunday afternoon, in the twelfth and final matchup of the regular season between the two teams. 

Scoring was hard to come by, as both starting pitchers were locked in on the mound. Mallards starter Elliot Cadieux Lanoue (Iowa) allowed just one run over five innings of work, and struck out five. Rafters starter Maddox Thornton (Texas A&M – Corpus Christi) tossed six shutout innings and struck out six.

It took until the bottom of the fifth for the first run of the game, and it came on an RBI single by Aidan Teel (Virginia) to give the Rafters a 1-0 lead. 

The Mallards were able to fight back and tie the game in the top of the eighth inning, when Jacob Schroeder (Illinois) scored on a fielder’s choice. However the Rafters answered back in the bottom of the eighth, when a pair of runs scored on a Kyler McIntosh (Alabama State) single to make it 3-1 Wisconsin Rapids. The Rafters held on in the ninth to secure the victory.

JC Dermody (Wichita State) was credited with the win in relief for the Rafters, his second of the season. Liam McKillop (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) was charged with the loss.

With the loss, the Mallards fall to 16-8 in the second half and remain in second place in the Great Lakes West division, one and a half games behind first place Wausau. The Rafters improve to 14-11 and sit in third place.

Following an off day on Monday, the Mallards will return to Warner Park to face the Kenosha Kingfish on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.