Bullfrogs play host in first meeting of second half

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – On the back of a 14-inning marathon on Thursday night, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (2-0, 26-12) take to the road on Friday for the opening chapter of a five-game road trip. For the first time in the second half, the Rafters will square off with the Green Bay Bullfrogs (0-2, 15-23) at Joannes Stadium in Green Bay. With a franchise-record five all-star selections announced earlier in the day, the Rafters look to ride a wave of excitement and continue their success.

Following an extra-inning game that required nine full innings of work from the Rafter bullpen on Thursday, Field Manager Craig Noto will hand the ball to left-handed pitcher Cal Giese (St. Cloud State) looking to find a break for the ‘pen. Giese, a local product, is expected to make his third start of the season and seventh overall appearance. The southpaw enters play with a 2-2 record and a 2.25 ERA in 16 innings pitched. After a brief absence from the club, Giese returned on July 1 out of the bullpen to finish a victory over the Bullfrogs by tossing a scoreless ninth inning and picking up a pair of strikeouts. In two starting appearances, Giese has gone 1-1 and posted an ERA of 2.00 in nine innings on the mound. In his most recent start, Giese fired five scoreless innings against the Kalamazoo Growlers, allowing just one hit and three walks at Homer Stryker Field.

Giese will be countered by left-hander Andrew Mahoney, who is in line to make his debut as a Green Bay Bullfrog. Mahoney, who is originally from Alabama, plays collegiately at Mississippi State. Highly recruited out of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, Mahoney underwent Tommy John surgery before beginning his collegiate career. 

The Rafters have played only once this season at Joannes Stadium, falling on the first night of the season by a final score of 3-2. First pitch in Green Bay is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. with coverage beginning on WFHR 1320 AM 15 minutes prior at 6:50 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.