By: Kyle Tausk
ROCKFORD, Ill. — Walk. It. Off.
In a thrilling, high-scoring shootout between the Rivets and the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (9-19) on Monday, the Rivets (13-13) snapped their five-game losing streak on a walk off throwing error in the tenth inning, 13-12. The marathon between the two teams featured 25 runs, 33 hits and some late-game drama that ultimately proved to be a much-needed skid-breaking victory in Rockford.
“In the last 15 years of coaching, we haven’t been a part of many five-game losing streaks,” head coach Chase Brewster said. “What I didn’t realize is that you kind of forget what winning feels like. It felt great tonight.”
The early innings were busy for both offenses. The Rivets dug themselves an early hole when the Rafters scored three runs in the first inning of Rivets starting pitcher Danny Cercello (Houston). Cercello, who has battled control issues for much of the season, had two early walks once again bite him as Wisconsin Rapids ripped a pair of RBI singles and scored another on an error.
The Rivets quickly responded by getting two back on a pair of two out hits in the bottom of the inning — a sun-aided RBI single by Cade Climie (Houston) and an RBI single by Tommy Townsend (Butler). As would become a theme for much of the night, the Rivets just kept responding to the Rafters’ attempts to take control.
The Rafters blasted back-to-back home runs in the second, putting three on the board for the second consecutive inning. Shortstop Madden Ocko snuck a two-run homer over the wall and was soon followed by a mammoth solo bomb off the bat of designated hitter Andre Madugno, by far the longest home run hit at Rivets Stadium so far in 2025.
Just as they did in the first, the Rivets answered with two runs of their own. Jackson Forbes (Arizona) hit an RBI double into the gap to plate the first before scoring on a groundout. But once again, that momentum would last all of five minutes for the Rivets.
The Rafters scored three runs in each of the first three innings, putting up three yet again in the third to extend their lead to five on a two-run double and a sacrifice fly. The Rivets finally ended the symmetrical scoreboard pattern in the bottom half, scoring only one on an RBI double by AJ Malzone (Wabash Valley).
The Rafters added another run in the fourth on an RBI single before the Rivets broke through for the biggest inning of the night in the bottom of the fourth. Five runs came across to score on five hits, starting with a leadoff home run by Harrison Bowman (Troy) in his Rivets debut. Climie added an RBI double and Townsend ripped a two-run single before the game was finally brought to a tie on a passed ball with two outs.
“We found a lot of barrel,” Brewster said. “It felt like we had about 200 hits, and I think if we played 10 more innings, we could have scored 20 runs.”
The first scoreless inning of the game for either team didn’t come until the fifth, when both teams were finally held off the scoreboard. The offensive barrage would quickly return, though.
The teams traded runs again in the sixth, with the Rafters inching back in front in the top of the sixth only to give it right back on an RBI single by Malzone. A hard line drive off the bat of Townsend found a glove to strand the bases loaded in the seventh, sending things to the final two frames deadlocked.
Things would go back-and-forth yet again from there. The Rafters retook the lead by one on an RBI single in the eighth, putting the pressure on the Rivets with time running out. Malzone took that pressure right away with a game-tying solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to bring the game to its third tie.
Malzone, who was playing his final game for the Rivets this summer, was the Peak Sports Club Player of the Game after going 4-for-6 with the home run, three RBI, and the at bat that ultimately drove in the game winning run.
“I kind of went in today and I was like ‘I gotta hit a home run today for my last game,’” Malzone said. “I knew I had nothing to lose, and I knew I had to leave with a bang.”
Despite putting the leadoff man on second to begin the bottom of the ninth, the Rivets were unable to bring the winning run across, sending the game to extra innings for the first time at Rivets Stadium in 2025.
They wouldn’t miss their chance in the tenth, however. Hawk Bowers (McClennan) stranded the extra inning runner without allowing a run in the top of the inning, finishing off 2.1 innings of scoreless work when the Rivets needed it most and setting the Rivets’ offense up for one of the highlights of their season to date.
After intentionally walking Conner Cunningham to begin the inning, Malzone hit a ground ball right back to Rafters pitcher Tony Torres, but Torres airmailed a throw to third that allowed Townsend, the winning run, to cross the plate. It’s the first walk off victory for the Rivets this season.
“Winning’s fun,” Brewster said. “We had a lot of fun today.”
The Rivets will look to carry the winning forward in game two of the series against the Rafters on Tuesday at Rivets Stadium at 6:05 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets for Rivets games all season long at www.rockfordrivets.com.
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The Rockford Rivets 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’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 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, 360 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 (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit www.rockfordrivets.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rivets as your favorite team.