Green Bay comes to Witter Field with Rafters looking for consecutive wins
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – After a thrilling victory Thursday night, the first-place Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (21-10) return to action on Friday night to square off with the Green Bay Bullfrogs (12-19) for the back half of a two-game series. Entering the night’s action, the Rafters have won back-to-back games and own a 2-1 lead over the Bullfrogs in the season series.
On the mound for the Rafters will be right-hander Enrique Zamora (Calumet College of St. Joseph), who is expected to make his third start of the season and fourth appearance overall. In his two starts, Zamora has proven to be a difficult adversary for opposing hitters, as he’s allowed just three earned runs in his 11 innings as a starter. Overall, Zamora owns a record of 1-1 and a 2.34 ERA in addition to 15 strikeouts in 15.1 innings on the mound. Most recently, Zamora stifled the Lakeshore Chinooks on June 25, going six innings and allowing just a single run on four hits and four walks, while striking out five batters.
Projected to counter Zamora for the Bullfrogs is Austin Hancock, who will make his sixth start of the season. To this point, Hancock has been among the best starters in the Northwoods League, owning a 0.96 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 28 innings, despite a 1-3 record. The start will mark just the second time this season that Hancock has pitched away from Joannes Stadium, having allowed two earned runs in five innings at Kenosha earlier this season—the only time he has allowed multiple earned runs in a start. In his most recent outing, Hancock allowed three runs (one earned) in five innings against the Madison Mallards, striking out three and taking the loss.
The Rafters enter play having won 10 of 12 games since their June 20 off day and 13 of their last 16 games overall. With five games remaining in the first half, the Rafters continue to nurse a one-game lead over the second-place Madison Mallards.
First pitch at Witter Field is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with gates opening to the public at 6:05 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.
