Battle Creek visits Rapids as Rafters hope to avoid third straight loss

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – In the wake of Wednesday’s loss to the Green Bay Bullfrogs, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (28-16, 4-4) now are faced with the possibility of losing three consecutive games for the first time this season. Through the season’s first 44 games, the Rafters have not lost more than twice consecutively at any point and will return to Witter Field on Thursday night against the Battle Creek Bombers (22-22, 4-4) intent on snapping their two-game skid.

Toeing the rubber for the Rafters will be right-hander Chris Cooper (Texas A&M Corpus Christi), who is in line to start for the seventh time this summer. Cooper, the Northwoods League’s leader in ERA, enters the evening with an unblemished 4-0 record and a 0.75 ERA. A native of Montgomery, Texas, Cooper will make his first start since watching his franchise-record scoreless innings streak of 24 1/3 come to an end against the Kenosha Kingfish. Additionally, Thursday offers Cooper his first game action since being named a 2016 Northwoods League All-Star at the end of last week. In his most recent outing, Cooper pitched five innings, his lowest total since his first start on June 2, and allowed two runs (both earned) on three hits and two walks, while striking out three.

Battle Creek, making their first visit to Witter Field this season, will attempt to derail Cooper’s strong start and will send a right-hander of their own to the mound in the form of Andrew Click. Originally from Portland, Mississippi, Click will start for just the second time this season, looking to build upon a strong introduction to Northwoods League baseball in his first start. On July 7, Click toed the rubber at Warner Park for his Bomber debut against a strong-hitting Madison Mallards team. Despite his club’s losing a narrow game, Click dominated the Mallards to the tune of six scoreless innings and five strikeouts without a walk.

Entering play on Thursday night, infielder Jake Lumley (Canisius) will look to extend his on-base streak after drawing a two-out walk in the bottom of the ninth inning on Wednesday to advance it to 28 games. In the opening act of the season series between the Rafters and the Bombers, the clubs split two games to conclude the first-half schedule. Although they earned a split, the Rafters’ lineup struggled to find consistency in Battle Creek, posting a total of two runs in the series.

First pitch at Witter Field is marked for 7:05 PM with gates opening to the public at 6:05 PM.

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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.