Five straight wins and eight of nine overall lead Rafters into Sunday matchup

Mequon, Wis. – The first-place Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (16-8) return to action Sunday evening against the Lakeshore Chinooks (10-17) at Kapco Park, seeking a two-game series sweep. Including Saturday’s 3-2 victory over the Chinooks, the Rafters have won eight out of their last nine contests, including five in a row.

Toeing the rubber for Wisconsin Rapids will be left-hander Jake Repavich (Grand Canyon), who is in line for his second start and third overall appearance of the summer. Entering Sunday, Repavich has yet to record a decision and owns a 3.37 ERA in 8.0 innings on the bump. In his first start of the season, the Arizona native pitched five full innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks, recording one strikeout. 

The Chinooks, 7 1/2 games behind the Rafters, will counter with an Arizona product of their own, sending right-hander Keenan Bartlett to the mound. Bartlett is slated to start for the fourth time and pitch in his fifth game overall. A member of the University of Richmond baseball program, Bartlett enters play with a winless 0-1 record and a 2.07 ERA in 21.2 innings of work. Most recently, Bartlett recorded a no-decision in a six inning outing against the Wisconsin Woodchucks in which he allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out a season-high seven batters. Like last night’s starter Alex Rogers, Bartlett has received minimal run support from the anemic Chinook lineup in his first four outings, averaging to just two runs of backing per start.

The Rafters take the field Sunday as one of the hottest teams in the Northwoods League, having won all five games since their off day on Monday. Additionally, the Rafters have won eight of their last nine games overall, including three straight against the Chinooks. The Rafter lineup will look to find more success in manufacturing runs after plating just three runs on 13 hits in Saturday’s pitcher’s duel.

First pitch at Kapco Park is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. with coverage commencing on WFHR 1320 AM at 4:50 p.m.

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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 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball, 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 150 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 (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store and set the Rafters as your favorite team.