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Rafters Attempt Sweep in Kalamazoo
Wisconsin Rapids looks to win 14th straight game
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – Homer Stryker Field plays host to the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (15-1) and the Kalamazoo Growers (4-12) as the Rafters seek their 14th straight win on Friday.
In a win on Thursday night aided by the long ball, the Rafters picked up their 13th win in a row. Nick Anderson paced the offense, starting in the top of the third with a solo home-run to put the Rafters on the board, trailing 2-1. The home-run ball continued with Bryson Stott, who drove a ball over the right field fence to give the Rafters their first lead of the game, 3-2, in the top of the fifth.
Scott Kapers joined in, notching a two-run homer in the seventh inning for his second homer of the year. Anderson added more insurance runs for Wisconsin Rapids, blasting a two-run home-run in the top of the night. Anderson reached base all five times, adding a single and two walks. Sam Carver (1-0) earned his first win on the mound in the 11-3 victory.
On Friday night, the Rafters send J.P. Stevenson (1-0) to the mound to face the Growlers offense. The lefty has started two games for the Rafters, beating Kalamazoo the first time these two teams met up at Witter Field, 11-4. Stevenson has 11 innings pitched on the year, walking just one batter. The junior from Canisius College tossed six innings earlier this year of two-run baseball against Lakeshore in a 7-2 win.
Kalamazoo is set to start Luke Schaefer (0-0) for the second time this season against the Rafters. The righty tossed an inning against Wisconsin Rapids at Witter field, giving up two earned runs in an extra-inning game as the Rafters ousted the Growlers 13-12 in 12 innings.
Dustin Woodcock continues to lead the Rafters offensively with a league-best batting average of .455. Woodcock has 15 runs batted in with eight extra base hits.
First pitch in Kalamazoo is slated for 6:05 pm CT. Coverage of the game can be found on WFHR 1320 AM or WFHR.com, the Rafters Radio Network. Pregame coverage begins at 5:50 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.