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Wisconsin Rapids Will Host 2015 Northwoods League All-Star Game
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.- The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the summer collegiate Northwoods League will open their sixth season in 2015 at home against the Wisconsin Woodchucks on Tuesday, May 26th at 6:35 pm at Witter Field. The Northwoods League released its complete schedule today for the 2015 season, featuring 18 teams, Inter-Division play, All-Star Game, a Major League Dreams Showcase doubleheader event and 72 regular season games.
“We are excited to be going into our 22nd season,” said Northwoods League President Dick Radatz, Jr. “It’s wonderful to reflect on where we started and where we are now with 18 teams, a 72-game schedule, our 21st All-Star Game and our third Major League Dreams Showcase.”
The Northwoods League, which plays two halves to determine playoff participants similar to most professional minor leagues, will end the first half of play on June 29 with the second half beginning on July 1st. The first and second half division winners from both the North and South divisions will meet in a best-of-three Divisional Playoff Series from August 10-12. The North and South Division Champions will then meet in a best-of-three series for the Summer Collegiate World Series from August 13-15.
The 2015 Northwoods League All-Star game will return to Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids on Tuesday, July 21st. The Rafters last hosted the all-star game in 2011, which sold out prior to single game tickets going on sale and featured 33 players that went on to play professional baseball. The 2011 event also welcomed Hall of Famer and current Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor as the honorary guest. Additional details regarding the 2015 All-Star festivities will be released at a later date.
“We are extremely honored to host the 2015 Northwoods League All-Star Game in Wisconsin Rapids,” said Rafters general manager John Fanta. “The 2011 event was a glowing success and I look forward to the excitement this event will bring to our community next summer.”
Highlights of the 2015 Rafters schedule include:
• A wide assortment of dates to choose from: The Rafters will play four games on Mondays; four games on Tuesdays; seven games on Wednesday; seven games on Thursdays; four games on Fridays; five games on Saturdays; and four games on Sundays.
• The Rafters season will conclude on Sunday, August 9th against the Green Bay Bullfrogs for the always popular “Fan Appreciation Night”. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05pm for the final regular season game of the season.
• The schedule also features a pair of inter-divisional series against North Division members the Thunder Bay Border Cats, and the Eau Claire Express. Thunder Bay will make a return trip to Witter Field on August 6th and 7th, after traveling to Wisconsin Rapids for the first time in franchise history in 2014. Similar to the 2014 season, The Rafters and Express will participate in two day-night doubleheaders on June 29th and July 29th. This season however, both games of the double header will take place in the same location. Wisconsin Rapids welcomes Eau Claire to Witter Field on Monday, June 29th, with the first game beginning at 12:05 pm and the night cap slated to start at 7:05 pm.
• The Major League Dreams Showcase, featuring the top 100 prospects in the Northwoods League as chosen by a panel of major league scouts will return to Warner Park in Madison, WI for the third consecutive year on August 4th. The first game will begin at 4:05 pm, with game two set for 7:35 pm.
Solarus Founders Club Season Tickets, all-you-can-eat 9-Game Packages, and Group Tickets are on sale NOW. There will be three 9-game packages to choose from in 2015, and the dates for those packages will be released soon. Please call the Rafters Front Office at 715-424-5400 for additional information.
Single game ticket prices for the 2015 season will be $8 for a reserved bleacher seat, $7 for standing room only tickets and will go on sale Friday, April 24th of next year. The full promotional schedule for the 2015 Rafters season will be released in the Spring as well.
If you’re still looking for a gift for the holidays, make sure to stop into the Rafters office at Witter Field. Ticket packages, merchandise and gift cards are all available.
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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 22nd 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 120 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 Website. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com.