Malmin Looks To Shut Down Woodchucks   

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – Coming off of a much needed win, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (10-22) will look to keep things going as they face the Wisconsin Woodchucks (18-12) tonight at Witter Field. The Rafters finally got the monkey off their back as they beat the La Crosse Loggers for the first time this season in an exciting 7-5 10 inning victory. The Woodchucks are coming off of an 8-7 loss at the hands of the Kalamazoo Growlers and are 5-5 over their past 10 games.

Jon Malmin (Texas, 1-1) gets the nod for the Rafters tonight as he will be making his fifth start for the Rafters and seventh appearance overall. Malmin has been very effective for the Rafters this season as he has an ERA of 1.66 and has 19 strikeouts in 21.2 innings pitched. Malmin’s best performance of the season arguably came against these Woodchucks back on May 30th. In that game Malmin went six innings and gave up one unearned run on three hits and three walks while striking out six as he picked up his lone victory of the season.

The Rafters will be facing left handed pitcher Kaylor Chafin (Texas A&M, 0-1) who is making his first start of the season tonight, however he has been used in nine games out the Woodchuck bullpen. Chafin has a 3.14 ERA this season and has struck out 14 batters in his 14.1 innings of work. The Rafters have seen Chafin twice and the last time he faced the Rafters they roughed him up for two runs on three hits in just an inning and two thirds of work.

The Rafters offense will look to keep the fireworks going tonight at Witter Field as they are averaging over five runs a game in their past four games. Clark Eagan (Arkansas) has been one of the key reasons for this offensive surge as in those games he has gone 7 for 17 with two doubles and five runs driven in. Chandler Tracy (Saint Martins) has also been swinging a better bat of late as he had the game winning two run single in last night’s ballgame and over his past two games has driven in four runs.

The game tonight is at 6:05pm at Witter Field, which means the gates will be opening at 5:05pm. Tonight there is also a Duncan Disability Law First Aid Kit Giveaway.

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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.