Rafters Seek Season Sweep Of Woodchucks

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The streaking Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (45-21, 21-9) enter Wednesday night’s meeting with the Wisconsin Woodchucks (30-36, 17-14) in the midst of a season-best six-game winning streak. As they attempt to secure a two-game sweep of the Woodchucks, the Rafters also own an opportunity to clinch a season sweep of the ‘Chucks, entering play with an unblemished 7-0 head-to-head record with only tonight’s meeting remaining.

The Rafters will look to right-hander Eric Ligda (Millersville) to take the ball on Wednesday night, as the Pennsylvania product enters play with a 1-3 record and an ERA of 2.34. Ligda, who is expected to make his tenth appearance of the season and seventh start, has struck out 42 batters, while walking just 14 men in his 46 innings on the mound. While Ligda’s results have been mixed in recent outings, he can point to his June 29 starting debut against the Woodchucks as a possible sign of things to come. In the back half of a double header, Ligda toed the rubber for the Rafters in his first start of the season and thoroughly dominated the Woodchucks lineup, flirting with perfection for six innings as he allowed only one hit—an infield single—in six scoreless innings, striking out a season-high seven and walking one. While Ligda has pitched well in a starting role, the Rafters have had middling success with him on the mound, as the club has posted a 3-3 record in his starts and has scored an average of just 2.38 runs of support per outing. In his most recent turn through the rotation, Ligda fired 5 1/3 innings against the Lakeshore Chinooks in which he surrendered four runs (all earned) on five hits and a season-high four walks, while notching three strikeouts. Fortunately for Ligda and company, a pair of Dustin Woodcock (SIU-Edwardsville) home runs and a late rally allowed the Rafters to come from behind to win the game 5-4.

Opposing Ligda will be UC-San Diego right-hander Jonah Dipoto, who has had his share of struggles in his nine previous starts. Entering play with a 2-2 record and an ERA of 6.92, Dipoto has battled control issues at times this summer, issuing 32 walks compared to his 31 strikeouts. Between June 24 and July 28, Dipoto endured a stretch of six consecutive starts in which he walked four batters or more. With his most recent start coming at home against Kalamazoo, Dipoto posted his first performance of the season devoid of walks, going just three innings and surrendering six runs (all earned) on seven hits against the Battle Creek Bombers. A right-hander from Southern California, Dipoto is the son of current Seattle Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto, who filled the same role with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 2011-2015 and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2010.

First pitch at Witter Field is scheduled for 7:05 PM with gates opening to the general 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.