Rafters Finish Series with Rivets Before All-Star Break 

Wisconsin Rapids looks to bounce back on Sunday 

 

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – In the final game before the All-Star break, Wisconsin Rapids (33-13, 6-4) hosts Rockford (24-21, 7-4) on Sunday from Witter Field to complete the series. Rockford defeated Wisconsin Rapids in game one of the series on Saturday. 

 

Charlie McConnell and Nick Anderson opened the game for Wisconsin Rapids with back-to-back singles and both would come around to score during Jacson McGowan’s at-bat with one out. McConnell scored the first run of the game on a passed ball and Anderson came across when McGowan blasted a line drive off the wall in left.

 

Brian Klein led off the second for Rockford with a no-doubt home run that bounced off of the video board in right-center field. 

 

Wisconsin Rapids flexed some muscle in the third, scoring three runs to regain the lead, 5-2. All-Star Dustin Woodcock hit a rope to the gap in right-center field, doubling to plate Nick Anderson. After McGowan pelted one off the wall in his first at-bat, the third-baseman squared up another fastball and took this one over the fence in left, good for a two-run home run.

 

Rockford answered with a home run in the next inning, a Spillane two-run shot. Spillane hit a high fly ball to straight away center field and edged over the fence to pull the Rivets within a run of the Rafters, 5-4. The visitors from Rockford took their first lead of the night in the fifth, scoring three runs on four hits to take a 7-5 lead. Kian O’Brien singled and scored on a Jeremy Houston double to score the first run. Houston scored on a Spillane sacrifice fly and Trevor Paradoski scored the final run of the inning on a Hunter Feduccia bloop single. Zach Watson homered in the ninth to push the lead to 9-6. 

 

Set to take the mound tonight for the Rafters is Sam Carver (2-3), the lefty from Coffeyville Community College. Carver is coming off his best start this summer, tossing eight and a third innings in Kenosha. The starter did not allow a walk in the victory. Carver has pitched in 36 innings this year, starting six games and coming out of the bullpen in one. 

 

Lukas Veinbergs (0-1) starts for Rockford, the second time he has pitched against the Rafters this season. The first time on July 4th, the righty last two and a third innings, allowing two earned run in a game the Rafters ended up winning 14-1 behind Christian Jones’ three home runs and Jesse Slinger’s complete game effort. Veinbergs has an ERA of 1.96 this season. 

 

First pitch from Witter Field on Sunday is set for 4:05 p.m. The gates open at 3:05 p.m. for McCain Foods Night. Pregame coverage starts at 3:50 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.