Righty Throws Seven Strong Innings

Box Score

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.- The Rafters’ bats broke out early but the story of the game was the starter for Wisconsin Rapids, Jason Freeman (Texas A&M). The Righty led the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (9-20) to a 5-3 victory over the Green Bay Bullfrogs (11-17).

The offense would do all of its damage early as all of the Rafters scoring took place from the 2^nd inning through the 4^th. Wisconsin Rapids jumped out ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the 2^nd when Chandler Tracy (St. Martins) sent a sacrifice fly to deep center to score Erik Payne (Virginia Tech). That was the start of a big evening for Tracy who went 1-3 with two RBIs. The big inning for the Rafters was the 3^rd where they poured on three runs. Bullfrogs starter Garret Henderson (St. Cloud State) would not make it out of the fourth as he surrendered all five of the Rafters runs. Payne led off the 3^rd with a titanic home run to right center. Tracy and Taylor Propst (Alabama) would each add on RBI doubles to give the Rafters all the runs they would need.

Freeman would take it from there as he pitched into the 8^th inning while scattering six hits and striking out 5. Tuesday’s outing was a complete reversal from Freeman’s last start versus La Crosse when he had to be removed after two innings due to wildness and the Northwoods League pitch limit rules. Against Green Bay, Freeman threw 104 pitches, with 77 finding the strike zone.

Green Bay would continue to chip away at the Rafters lead as they tacked on runs in the 5^th, 7^th and 8^th innings. The Bullfrogs would load the bases with two out in the top of the 9^th against Rafters reliever Nolan Blackwood (Memphis) but the sidewinding righty would get Ivan Vieitez (Lenoir-Rhyne University) to fly out to center to end the ballgame.

The two regional rivals will finish up their four game series tomorrow evening in Green Bay with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 pm CST.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 21st season of summer collegiate baseball, 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 115 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (DET) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (STL) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel.  For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com.

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