Wisconsin Rapids outhits La Crosse, 9-7, but takes the loss, 7-1 

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – After a 66-minute rain delay, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters fell to the La Crosse Loggers, 7-1, at Witter Field. Chris Falwell took the loss for the Rafters, while Ryan Marks picked up the win in relief for the Loggers. Wisconsin Rapids moved to 13-15 with the loss, while La Crosse improved to 17-13 with the win.

Despite losing by six, the Rafters outhit the Loggers, 9-7, and had several chances to score some runs but fell victim to a few unlucky bounces. In the third inning with the Rafters trailing 2-0, Ryan Cleveland (Southern Georgia) roped a liner down the right field line that likely would have scored a pair but was just foul. Then in the fourth inning, Mitchell McGeein (Eastern Michigan) hit what looked to be a two-run homer down the left field line, but the ball drifted just outside the foul pole. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, Sam Tolleson (Central Florida) smoked a line drive to deep left, but the Loggers outfielder made a leaping grab to steal a hit and end the inning.

La Crosse scored in each of the odd innings, picking up a run in the first, two in the third and fifth, and another run in each of the seventh and ninth.

Beau Jordan (LSU) went 4-for-4 at the plate for the Rafters, collecting the team’s lone RBI and adding a stolen base. Dustin Woodcock (SIU Edwardsville) was 2-for-4 on the day and made a pair of diving catches in the outfield. James Davitt (Bryant) pitched well out of the bullpen, tossing five innings and allowing three runs on five hits. The righty struck out five and walked one.

The Rafters take on the Loggers again tomorrow night, but in La Crosse, Wis. at Copeland Park. Wisconsin Rapids will then travel for a pair of games in Madison before finishing the first half of the season with a doubleheader against the Eau Claire Express on June 29 at Witter Field.

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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.