Rafters Lose In Extras To Chinooks

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (14-17) took it to extras for the first time this season but the Chinooks walked it off in the eleventh with an RBI single from Turner Buis to win 10-9.

The cranberry and gold found themselves in an early hole after the first. Lakeshore scored five times on four hits and a Rafters error. Wisconsin Rapids answered with a four-run second. Brody Wofford (UCF) nailed a three-run double and Mitch Mallek (St. Cloud State) followed with his own double to score Wofford.

A sacrifice fly brought in a run for Lakeshore in their half of the second and two more scored off another Rafter error. Wisconsin Rapids tied it up at eight apiece in the fifth. With the base loaded, Mike Rojas (Auburn) was hit by a pitch from Brendan McGuigan. This allowed Ty Duvall (Vanderbilt) to score from third. Matt Schmidt (Michigan) worked a walk with the based loaded. Payton Robertson (Louisiana State Shreveport) collected an RBI on a fielder’s choice and Jordan Wiley (Kalamazoo College) brought in Rojas with a sac fly to tie it.

Ronald Sweeny III broke the stalemate in the seventh with an RBI single. The Rafters tied it again in the top of the ninth. Duvall worked a leadoff walk and Steven Rivas (Long Beach State) delivered an RBI triple for the tie.

In the eleventh, Lakeshore got their leadoff man Jim Govern aboard with a double. Govern moved over to third on a wild pitch. Turner Buis delivered the walk-off single to right to end the game.

Luis Ferrer (1-0, 1.12) earned the win with a scoreless 1.1 innings in the final moments. Chandler Brierley (0-1, 7.14) was given the loss allowing the winning run.

The Rafters are back at Witter Field for three in a row starting tomorrow hosting the Kenosha Kingfish. First pitch is set for 6:05 pm CT.

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in 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, 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.raftersbaseball.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.