Wisconsin Rapids finishes the season 33-35

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – A five-run rally in the eighth inning propelled the Rafters to an 8-7 win Sunday in the final game of the 2015 season.

The game shifted on a strange play at Witter Field, when Brock Carpenter (Seattle) hit a hard hit ball to third, which resulted in Zack Domingues (Long Beach State) getting caught in a pickle between third and home. A savvy play by Domingues worked his way back to third and everyone was safe. Wisconsin Rapids went on to score five runs and take the lead, 8-7. Austin Paisar (Sacramento City) earned the win by pitching a scoreless eighth inning, Chad Dullnig (Ranger) took the loss and Justin Kelly (UC Santa Barbara) earned his second save in the last two days.

Wisconsin Rapids took the lead early in Sunday’s game, scoring a pair in the bottom of the first. The Bullfrogs responded with four runs in the top of the third, taking a 5-2 lead. Green Bay looked in control through the top of the eighth inning as they held a 7-3 lead. But the Rafters brought 10 men to the plate and scored five runs on six hits to take the 8-7 lead.

Ernie Clement (Virginia) led the way for the Rafters, going 4-for-4 on the day, scoring three runs. Carpenter was 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while  Domingues was 2-for-3 and scored a pair of runs. Mitchell McGeein (Eastern Michigan) had a pair of sacrifice flies for two RBI.

With the win, the Rafters ended the year with a team record for wins in a season with 33, surpassing the 2013 team who won 31 games, despite losing out on four games to rain outs.

###

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 (KC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website.  For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com.