Unable To Overcome Defensive Miscues
La Crosse, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters fell to 1-1 on the season as they lost to the La Crosse Loggers 10-5 at Copeland Park in La Crosse Thursday night. The Rafters jumped out to an early 4-2 lead in the top of the second inning as back-to back-to back RBI base hits by Zack Domingues (Long Beach State), Jake Sandlin (Georgia College), and Mitchell McGeein (Eastern Michigan) helped the Rafters gain the early lead. Max Widmar (Parkland College) started the inning with a walk, and was followed up by Demetrius Sims (Bethune Cookman) with a single, before the hit parade got rolling.
Domingues returned to the Rafters lineup following winning the Northwoods League Batting Title during the 2014 season and picked up right where he left off. Teaming the Sandlin and McGeein, all three provided the spark to the Rafters’ offense from the top of the order in recording two hits apiece. Blake Molitor recorded a single in the 5th inning as well to continue his hot start to the 2015 season.
Brian Russell (College of Staten Island) contributed a strong start on the mound for the Rafters keeping the Loggers off balance in his first start of the season. After allowing two runs to score in the bottom of the first inning, Russell settled down and gave his offense the chance to get him a lead, which he had when he departed after 5+ innings of work. Errors came back to haunt the Rafters however as the five they committed assisted the Loggers in the eight runs they scored in their last 3 at-bats.
The Rafters return to La Crosse on Friday for game two of the series. First pitch at Copeland Park is set for 7:05 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 22nd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2015, 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 (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (OAK). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com.
