Rafters Fall in Final Road Game of 2015

Wisconsin Rapids moves to 6-2 on the summer against the Woodchucks

Wausau, Wis.- The Rafters fell to the Woodchucks by a score of 7-4 tonight at Athletic Park. Wisconsin Rapids still won the season series against their rivals to the north, but the Woodchucks were victorious in the finale. Winning pitcher for the Woodchucks was relief pitcher Jameson Lavery (UW- La Crosse). He went 3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Brian Russell (College of Staten Island) took the loss, while Robert Zeigler (Kentucky) collected the save. Wisconsin Rapids is still one win away from tying their record for most wins in a season. They are 30-35 on the season. The Woodchucks improved their record to 24-44 overall.

The Rafters jumped out to an early lead tonight in Wausau, as Beau Jordan (LSU) and Bryce Jordan (LSU) came home in the top of the third. Bryce Jordan had a fantastic day at the plate collecting three hits and plating the fourth and final run for the Rafters in the 4^th inning when he singled Jake Sandlin (Southern Mississippi) home. The Woodchucks five run bottom half of the fourth was the difference in the ball game. Ryan Day (Duke) hit a grand slam to put the Woodchucks up 6-4. They would never look back as they added an insurance run in the eighth inning when Jared Oliva (Arizona) came up for the final run in the Rafters 7-4 loss. Mason Fishback (Riverside City College) was the other Woodchucks key player with a home run and 2 RBI’s in the game.

The Rafters return home tomorrow to take on the Thunder Bay Border Cats. The Border Cats will be back in town Friday before Green Bay comes to town for the final series of the season. Tickets are still available for all remaining Rafters home games, call 715-424-5400 or buy online at RaftersBaseball.com.

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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.