Rivets Snap Rafters Five-Game Win-Streak on Monday

Watson drives in six for Rockford, hits a grand slam

 

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – Early and often offense powered Rockford (28-22, 11-5) to a 12-4 win against Wisconsin Rapids (38-14) on Monday. The Rafters are now 3-2 against the Rivets on the season. 

 

First inning offense for the Rafters got things started as Charlie McConnell led off the game with a single to left. Ryan Stekl drew a four-pitch walk, and Bryson Stott drilled an RBI double to right to put the Rafters in front 1-0. Jacson McGowan laced the first pitch he saw as the next batter to center to score Stekl, and Stott scored on a passed ball to give the Rafters a 3-0 after a half inning. 

 

Quickly striking in the bottom of the second, the Rivets scored three runs to tie the game. Brian Klein led off with a single while Patrick Loeffler walked. Bryan Martinez, Logan Michaels, and Trevor Peradoski hit three consecutive RBI base hits to tie the game at 3-3. 

 

Rockford took its first lead of the game as Zach Watson (LSU) drove a double to right with one out. Ryan Hutchinson (Illinois State) flared a single to right to score Watson and give the Rivets a 4-3 lead after three. 

 

With two outs in the fourth, Rockford’s offense loaded the bases with two walks and a single for Watson. Watson drove a ball over the left field wall for a grand slam, extending the Rivets lead 8-3 after four. 

 

Dustin Woodcock led off the sixth with a walk for the Rafters, and came around to score on an RBI groundout off the bat of McGowan to make the score 8-4. 

 

Rockford added to its lead in the bottom of the inning when the Rivets drew three straight walks with one out. Watson drove a two-RBI double to left, while Brian Klein and Ryan Hutchinson plated a run each with singles to give the Rivets a 12-4 lead. 

 

The Rafters put three more runners on base in the final three innings, but could not bring any home, snapping a five-game winning steak. 

 

First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m. at Rivets Stadium in the final game of the series on Tuesday to complete the six-game road trip, with pregame coverage starting at 6:20 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.