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The Rafters give up seven runs in the first five innings, fall 7-4
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The Rafters scored a pair of runs in the first and ninth innings, but came up empty in-between in a 7-4 loss to the Battle Creek Bombers at Witter Field. Wisconsin Rapids tried to play spoiler in the ninth, but left the bases loaded striking out in the final at-bat. The Bombers scored seven runs in the first five innings before being blanked over the last four by Rafters pitcher Justin Kelly (UC Santa Barbara). The loss drops the Rafters back to .500 at 12-12, while Battle Creek improves to 11-14.
Adam Hall (Xavier) took the loss for Wisconsin Rapids, falling to 1-4 on the season. The Rafters got to Bombers starter Alex Hermeling early, but the righty went five strong innings to improve to 3-1. Mason Marshall came in for the one-out save.
The Rafters out-hit the Bomber 11 to eight on the day, but left the bases loaded three times in the game, stranding a total of 14 base runners.
Jake Sandlin (Georgia College) and Brock Carpenter (Seattle) stayed hot at the plate, picking up a pair of hits each. Carpenter is now hitting .500 in his first five games as a Rafter, at one point reaching base in eight consecutive at-bats. Sam Tolleson (Central Florida) also had two hits, picking up an RBI in the first on an infield single. Kelly pitched well in his Wisconsin Rapids debut, throwing four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four and walking one.
Wisconsin Rapids hits the road for the next three games, starting with a pair at Lakeshore in Mequon, Wis., against the Chinooks on June 21-22, followed by a home-and-home series against the Mallards that will start in Madison, Wis. on June 23.
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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.