Rafters Open Home and Home at Witter vs. Bullfrogs

Wisconsin Rapids hosts Green Bay for the final time

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – In the last game at Witter Field for Green Bay (13-30) this season, Wisconsin Rapids (32-11) wraps up its three-game homestand on Thursday vs. the Bullfrogs. The Rafters come off an 11-4 loss on Wednesday against Battle Creek.

The Rafters jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first when Ryan Stekl drove in a run, singling to left to plate Charlie McConnell from second base. Winston Welch tied the game in the third with one swing of the bat, homering to left field.

Justin Felix hit a three-run homer to give the Bombers their first lead of the game. Battle Creek added one more in the frame on a Cody Hawken RBI single to increase the lead to 5-1.

Wisconsin Rapids loaded the bases to begin the home half of the sixth, and pushed two runs across to cut the deficit in half and trailed 5-3 after six full innings. Stekl scored the first run on a passed ball and Dustin Woodcock scored on an RBI fielder’s choice from Jared Nelson.

Tom Stoffel of Battle Creek drilled a solo homer in the seventh. Wisconsin Rapids got that run back in the eighth on an RBI double off the wall from Christian Jones.

Battle Creek opened the game up in the ninth, scoring five runs to take an 11-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Five batters walked in the inning and the lone hit in the frame was a bases clearing double down the right field line from Welch.

On the mound Thursday for Rapids is Quinn DiPasquale, making his seventh start of the season. The right-hander is 5-1 with a 2.67 ERA. In 40 innings this summer, the All-Star has 39 strikeouts with just 11 walks. In his last start at Lakeshore, DiPasquale went seven innings, giving up one earned run and five hits while fighting off a 40-minute rain delay in the bottom of the fourth.

The Rafters are 6-0 against the Bullfrogs this season, including 3-0 at Witter Field.

Tonight’s game is slated for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. Solarus presents Baseball Card Night, with a fan giveaway of baseball cards of Rafter players and staff. Special on-field entertainment is Baseball Juggling Josh Horton. Coverage of the game starts at 6:50 p.m. on AM 1320 WFHR and WFHR.com, the Rafters Radio Network.

 

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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, 180 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 www.raftersbaseball.comor download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.