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Tracy Plays The Hero In The 10th.
La Crosse, Wis.- For their last meeting of the season neither the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (10-22) nor the La Crosse Loggers (20-11) held back and the result was a classic. The Rafters played spoiler to the Loggers quest for a first half South Division title by pulling out a 7-5 win in 10 innings. After losing two consecutive games in walk-off fashion, Wisconsin Rapids rallied together to get their first and only win of the year versus La Crosse.
For the second straight night, the Rafters scored first as they scored four in the third and a single run in the 4th to take a 5-0 lead. The Rafters batted around in the 3rd and received RBI base hits from Erik Payne (Virginia Tech), Keelin Rasch (Louisiana Monroe) and Clark Eagan (Arkansas). Wisconsin Rapids chased Loggers starter Grant Yost (Sacramento City CC) after just three innings of work.
Featuring the fifth best team batting average in the Northwoods League, the Loggers would begin their comeback immediately. They would score in each of the 4th, 5th and 6th innings to tie things up. Marc Frazier (Nicholls State) got the comeback started with a bang when he hit a two run home run in the bottom of the 4th. La Crosse tied the game in the bottom of the 6th inning when Jack Meggs (Washington) slapped a two out RBI single off Rafters’ starter John Kravetz (Illinois).
The two teams’ bullpens threw up zeroes from the 7th through the 9th before the Rafters came up to bat in the top of the 10th. Rasch launched a lead off triple off of the left field wall which set up the Rafters in a perfect spot to jump ahead. With two outs and Michael Jurgella (St. Cloud State) on second base after walking and stealing second, Chandler Tracy (St. Martins) stepped to the plate. The big catcher flared a fly ball down the right field line that was placed perfectly within the boundary. Tracy’s hit scored two runs and gave the Rafters the clutch base hit they were looking for.
Hector Lujan (UC Santa Barbara) came in the bottom of the inning to shut the door and Rafters escaped Copeland Park with the victory. Wisconsin Rapids returns home briefly tomorrow evening as they take on the Wisconsin Woodchucks in the first game of a home and home series. First pitch is at 6:05 pm
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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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