A quiet offensive game costs Rafters

Box Score

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.-The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (38-20, 14-8) and Eau Claire Express (37-22, 12-11) met for their second double-header of the year, this time at Witter Field. Eau Claire prevailed 4-0 in game one thanks to dominant pitching and timely hitting.

In a pitcher’s duel, both teams were held scoreless through six innings. Rafters starter Chris Cooper (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) and Express starter Ryan Zimmerman matched each other pitch for pitch until the seventh inning. 

The Express broke the scoreless tie with three runs off Cooper in the seventh inning. A sacrifice fly from Rudy Rott and a two-run home run from Austin Guzzo offered the visitors a 3-0 lead after seven innings. After allowing the three runs, Cooper was lifted after 6 1/3 innings of work. In the loss, the right-hander surrendered six hits, struck out five hitters, and walked three on the day as he suffered his first loss of the season.

In the top of the eighth inning, the Express extended their lead to 4-0 with another RBI from Rudy Rott in the form of a single. Zimmerman then exited the game for Eau Claire after he tossed seven scoreless innings, striking out two with jus a lone walk in his first victory of the year.

A threat from the Rafters in the bottom of the ninth was not enough, as they were shutout for the first time this year. Game two of the double-header is slated to start at 7:05 PM, with gates opening 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.