WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters scored five runs in the second inning, capped off by a Jake Lumley grand slam, and never looked back in ending the Rivets winning streak at six with a 15-3 win Friday night at Witter Field.
The Rafters jumped all over Rockford starter Tyler Thornton (Tennessee Wesleyan) in the second. After a walk and two strikeouts started the inning, Thornton (2-1) hit Doak Dozier with a pitch before Jon Meola singled home Dustin Woodcock, who had also been hit by a pitch. After a walked to Brandon Polizzi, Lumley launched a long home run to center field for a 5-0 lead, which was more than enough for Rapids starter Gareth Stroh (3-2).
Rapids got three runs in the fourth before putting the game away in the sixth. Logan Mattix singled, Woodcock reached on an error, and Rob Calabrese walked before a single by Aldo Koustoyanopolous made it 11-2. A Meola single made it 12-2 and Polizzi walked to make it 13-2. Rapids would add a run in the seventh and another in the eighth.
For the Rivets, Ryan Long (Texas Tech) had a two-run double and Braden Williams (Texas Tech) had a run scoring single to account for the offense.
The Rivets open up a two game series against the Green Bay Bullfrogs at Rivets Stadium on Saturday night at 6:35. Broadcasts and live streams can be found at NorthwoodsLeague.com.
Rockford is a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League, which will play its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2016. The Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 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, more than 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (Washington Nationals) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (Chicago White Sox), Jordan Zimmermann (Detroit Tigers), Curtis Granderson (New York Mets), Lucas Duda (Mets) and Ben Zobrist (Chicago Cubs). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website, NorthwoodsLeague.com. For more information, visit RockfordRivets.com.
