Nine Unanswered Runs for the Rafters Lead to Victory 

Down 7-1 in the sixth, the Rafters offense broke out late to spark come-from behind win 

 

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – In their largest comeback of the season, Wisconsin Rapids (33-12) scored nine unanswered runs to defeat Green Bay (14-31) from Joannes Stadium 10-7 on Friday. 

 

It was an early start for Rapids, tagging on a run in the first inning off Bullfrogs starter Will Gilbert. Nick Anderson singled with one out, and came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Jacson McGowan. 

 

Green Bay knotted the game in the bottom of the inning when Riley Smith grounded out to score Alanzo Jones, who walked to start the inning off Rafters starter Jack Eagan. 

 

Kyle Benyo led off the bottom of the second for Green Bay with a single, and Ben Hart drew a walk. With two outs, Jones ripped a two-RBI triple to left-center to give the Bullfrogs their first lead, 3-1 after two against Rapids. 

 

In the largest scoring inning of the evening, Green Bay added four runs off Eagan. Benyo walked to lead off the inning while Ben Hart singled him in. Dan Leckie drove in two with a single, and Richie Tecco added to the scoring with a single of his own to put the Bullfrogs on top 7-1 after three. 

 

To start off the sixth, Will Davis singled for his second hit of the game. Jared Nelson and Charlie McConnell walked to load the bases for Rapids, and Nick Anderson was hit by a pitch to score Davis. Nelson and McConnell scored on back to back walks issued to Dom Paiotti and McGowan to pull the Rafters within 7-4. 

 

With the game far from over, the Rafters got a two-out walk from Santino Rivera, the number nine batter in the lineup. McConnell and Anderson singled, and Dustin Woodcock unloaded the bases with a deep double off the fence in right-center field to tie the game 7-7. 

 

Green Bay had the go-ahead runner on base in the bottom of the eighth, but the Rafters brought in Layne Henderson (1-1) who struck out both batters he faced to keep the score knotted up into the ninth.

 

The Rafters offense went back to work in the last inning, with Scott Kapers drilling a pinch-hit double to left. Rivera put a bunt down that the pitcher Brett Faulk (0-1) had trouble fielding, reaching base to put runners at the corners with no outs. McConnell drove a sacrifice fly to center to give the Rafters their first lead since the first inning, 8-7. Woodcock drove in a run with a single, and McGowan capped off the comeback with another sacrifice fly to put the Rafters ahead 10-7. 

 

Henderson came back out for the ninth, striking out the side to finish off the comeback win for the Rafters. 

 

Wisconsin Rapids trailed by six runs, scoring nine unanswered to win the final game of the season series against the Bullfrogs. The Rafters finish a perfect 4-0 at Joannes Stadium this season, and 7-1 overall vs. Green Bay. 

 

Wisconsin Rapids heads home to take on the Rockford Rivets in a two game series before the All-Star break. Advanced Disposal presents Saturday’s game, and there will be a fireworks show following the game. Coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. on AM 1320 WFHR and WFHR.com, the Rafters Radio Network for the 6:05 p.m. first pitch. Gates open at 5:05 p.m. 

 

 

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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.