Rafters Head to Fond du Lac for Second Road Meeting with Dock Spiders
Wisconsin Rapids seeks a seven-game winning streak
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – For the second time this season, Wisconsin Rapids takes on Fond du Lac Thursday night on the road at Herr-Baker Field with a six-game winning streak.
To make the streak improve to six games, the Rafters (8-1) pitching staff led the way on Wednesday night against the Dock Spiders (3-6). Jesse Slinger (2-0) started for the Rafters and gave up one run in five and a third innings pitched. The bullpen clamped down on the Dock Spiders offense, tossing three and two-thirds without allowing a hit.
For the first time this year, the bullpen had a chance to see Keaton Graf and Layne Henderson pitch in the same game. In back-to-back innings starting in the eighth with Graf, the two pitchers combined for a six up, six down finish. Graf struck out the side in the eighth, while Henderson closed out the game to earn his third save in three tries this year.
The offense gave the pitching staff all the runs they would need in the bottom of the third. Scott Kapers and Nick Anderson led off the inning with two straight hits while Bryson Stott walked to load the bases. Dustin Woodcock drew a walk with the bases loaded to tie the game 1-1. Ryan Stekl hit a ball back up the middle fielded by the Dock Spiders starter Gunnar Kay. Kay’s throw home was high of the catcher Collin Braithwaite and two runs came into score, giving the Rafters a 3-1 lead. Josh Rehwaldt added an RBI groundout in the inning, pulling Rapids ahead 4-1. A lead they kept the rest of the game.
Woodcock leads the Rafters in batting average with a .474 mark in five games played. The lefty bat has already laced four doubles, most on the team. Christian Jones paces the offense with three home-runs and six runs batted in.
Fond du Lac’s Andrew Bullock put up a strong performance against the Rafters Wednesday night, recording a game and season-high three hits. He owns the team’s best batting average at .333. Bullock also leads the Dock Spiders with eight runs batted in.
The Rafters probable starter is Sam Carver set to the mound and make his first start of the 2017 season. The lefty from Coffeyville Community College has pitched in one game this year out of the bullpen. The sophomore dealt four innings of one-run ball against Kenosha of May 31st. The Dock Spiders counter with lefty Tristan Baker (Western Carolina). Baker has pitched in one game this year, coming against the Wisconsin Woodchucks in a 13-10 win. Baker pitched two-thirds of an inning while giving up four earned runs.
First pitch in Fond du Lac is 6:35 pm at Herr-Baker Field. Coverage of the game can be found on WFHR 1320 AM or WFHR.com, the Rafters Radio Network. Pregame coverage begins at 6:20 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. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 170 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit http://northwoodsleague.com/wisconsin-rapids-rafters/ or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.
