Mallards’ early barrage too much for Rafters to overcome

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – A four-run, four-hit first inning from the Madison Mallards (1-0) set the tone for the evening as Madison plated ten runs defeating the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (0-1) by a final of 10-2. Starter Charlie Ruegger (Stevens Institute of Technology) led off the bottom of the first with a strikeout of Trevor Schwecke but then allowed back-to-back singles and a walk to load the bases. Madison’s Jayse McLean would clear the bags with a three-run double that just missed the glove of Steven Rivas (Long Beach State) in center. McLean scored with the next batter on an RBI single.

Ruegger would end the inning but was done after one inning of work. The Rafters bullpen held their own for a time as Chandler Greenfield (Dixie State) and Kyle Hodgson (Framingham State) combined to throw four scoreless innings.

The Rafters scored a run in the third. Jake Dunham (Northern Illinois) reached first on an error and later scored on an RBI groundout from Payton Robertson (Lamar). Madison resumed their offensive attack scoring six unanswered runs from the sixth to the eighth inning. The Cranberry and Gold showed signs of life in the ninth scoring a run on three hits, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit.

Charlie Ruegger was handed his first loss of the season while Dalton Morrow earned the win for Madison with 7.0 innings of one-run ball.

The Rafters take on the Ducks again tomorrow night at Warner Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 PM.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods 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, more than 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.wisconsinrapidsrafters.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.