Wisconsin Rapids hands the ball to College of Staten Island pitcher Brian Russell on the night they honor the Wisconsin Rapids White Sox

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – After a tough loss on Tuesday night, the Rafters will try to right the ship as they finish their three-game homestand against the 2014 Northwoods League Champion Lakeshore Chinooks, who come into the game one-half game ahead of Wisconsin Rapids in the standings at 4-4.

The Rafters were on the wrong end of a pitchers due Tuesday, falling 2-1 to the Green Bay Bullfrogs. With Wisconsin Rapids one strike away from getting out of the ninth inning, Green Bay center fielder Paul Jacobson stole home on a throw back from the catcher to the pitcher, giving Green Bay the 2-1 lead and the eventual win. With the loss, the Rafters fell to 3-4, while the win moved the Bullfrogs to 3-4.

Tonight’s game begins a two game set at Witter Field against the Chinooks. First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m. and gates will open at 5:35 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids will be wearing throwback uniforms, honoring the Wisconsin Rapids White Sox, who called Witter Field home from 1939 to 1952.

Rafter pitcher Brian Russell will get the start against Lakeshore. The Staten Island, N.Y. native was recently named a Second Team All Star by D3Baseball.com for his sophomore season at the College of Staten Island, where he was 5-1 with a 1.62 ERA over 55.2 innings pitched. Russell made his Northwoods League debut with the Rafters on May 28 against La Crosse, earning a no-decision while throwing 5.2 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits, striking out four and walking a pair.

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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.