Rafters and Bombers Finish Season Series on Wednesday

With a win, Wisconsin Rapids breaks its record for most wins in a season (50)

 

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – With a win on Wednesday night at Witter Field vs. Battle Creek (38-28, 18-13), Wisconsin Rapids (49-18, 22-9) clinches its best record in a single season set by last years World Series team. 

 

After a double-header sweep of the Bombers on Monday, the Rafters are 6-1 in the season series and have won the past three games. Both teams had Tuesday off due to the Major League Baseball Dream Showcase in Madison. 

 

The Rafters sent four players to participate in front of hundreds of MLB scouts. Pitcher’s Isaiah Carranza (Oregon) and Layne Henderson (Azusa Pacific) joined infielder Bryson Stott (UNLV) and outfielder Jake Guenther (Sacramento City) at the showcase. 

 

Carranza started for the home team in the first game, tossing the first two innings. The right-hander did not give up a run, and struck out two batters. Henderson entered the game for the home team in the seventh, striking out a batter and working a scoreless inning. 

 

Offensively, Stott led the way for the home team, finishing with a base hit, stolen base, and a run scored. On the defensive end, the shortstop turned two double plays and made several throws from deep in the hole, playing a complete game. 

 

Guenther finished with two at-bats and saw action in left field for the final four innings. The game ended after 10 and a half innings in a 5-5 draw due to both teams running out of pitchers. The Rafters return home to finish the final game of a three game series vs. the Bombers. 

 

On the mound for Wisconsin Rapids is right-hander George Castillo (Hope International) to wrap up the season series against Battle Creek. Castillo has three appearances on the season with two starts, pitching five and two-third innings of two-run ball against Lakeshore on July 30th. The junior has 10 innings logged on the season, with four strikeouts. 

 

Set to counter Castillo on the mound for the Bombers is Dakota Edwards (Cal State Stanislaus). The righty is 3-2 on the year with a 3.06 ERA in five starts. Edwards has 17 strikeouts in 29 innings, with his last start coming against the Rafters. Edwards allowed five earned runs on eight hits, walking four batters in three and two-thirds on the mound. He has two appearances against the Rafters this season, with his first coming on July 12th in an inning of relief. He faces a Rafters offense hitting a league-best .280 as a team. 

 

Leading the offense for the Rafters is Ryan Stekl (Canisius) with a .364 average. Behind him is Stott, batting at a .352 clip. Charlie McConnell (Northeastern) and Dustin Woodcock (SIUE) are hitting .331 and .322 respectively, to join Stekl and Stott as hitters over .300. Woodcock leads the team with 56 runs batted in, four shy of breaking the single-season Rafters record of 59 set by Jackson Slaid in 2013. 

 

The Rafters are riding an eight game win streak, their second longest streak of the season. It trails only the 14 game surge the Rafters had at the beginning of the season. 

 

Aspirus Riverview Hospital and Clinics presents Ben Heller “First Rafter to the Show” Bobblehead giveaway night. Gates open at 6:05 p.m. to the general public, with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. Pregame coverage begins 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.