WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI. – It was another strong offensive game for the Rivets on Sunday, but this time it was not enough to overcome the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters.
Although Rockford managed 10 hits on the night, the Rafters (34-13) teed off on starter Lukas Veinbergs (San Jacinto, 0-2) and the pitching staff as Rockford (24-22) fell 14-10.
Once again, the Rafters scored first. Bryson Stott (UNLV) hit a sacrifice grounder to score Nick Anderson (Texas A&M CC), and Dustin Woodcock (SIU-Edwardsville) came home with a two-out Rockford fielding error in the 1st.
Rockford came back to score two in the 2nd. Brett Whelton (McNeese State) drove in his first two runs of the year with a two-out RBI double to tie the game 2-2. It was not before long that the Rivets took the lead, when Ryan Hutchinson (Illinois State) had a bases-clearing three-RBI double and Zach Rheams (Texas Tech) knocked in Hutchinson with a single for the 6-2 Rockford lead.
Lukas Veinbergs’ night lasted only until the 3rd once again. Jakob Guenther (Sacramento City CC) hit a grand slam to right field and Veinbergs allowed five runs in the inning total, giving up the lead to the Rafters 7-6.
The offense kept coming in the 4th, and the Rafters scored four runs off Nick Drahozal (Nebraska-Omaha). Although Brian Klein (Texas Tech) had an RBI and JC DeMuri (Quincy hit a two-run home run in the same frame, the Rafters added three more runs in the 5th to lead 14-9.
Rockford managed a run in the 6th, but it was not enough. The Rivets could not manufacture another run for the rest of the ballgame and they dropped their last game before the All-Star break to the Rafters, 14-10.
Rockford gets a break on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the All-Star Break. The next home game for the Rivets is Thursday, July 20 for another Thirsty Thursday with $1 drafts! You can order your Rivets tickets today by calling the Rockford Rivets ticket office at 815.240.4159.
The Rockford Rivets are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League, which will play its 24th season of summer collegiate baseball in 2017. The Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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, 180 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals), two-time World Champion Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (Boston Red Sox), Jordan Zimmermann (Detroit Tigers), Curtis Granderson (New York Mets) and Lucas Duda (Mets). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website, NorthwoodsLeague.com.
###
