Wisconsin Rapids offense flexes muscles, gets big win over Fond du Lac

The first-place Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (15-8) posted a strong offensive performance in a 15-10 victory over the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (11-12) Saturday night.

The Rafters trailed 1-0 in the first inning, but tied the game when Richie Schiekofer scored on a wild pitch in the opening frame. The Rafters opened the floodgates in the second inning, starting with Noah Thigpen’s first Rafters RBI.

Schiekofer and Jaylen Guy each drove in runs with singles and the Rafters executed a successful double steal to build a 6-1 lead heading to the third inning. In the fourth, Guy collected another RBI and scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. Jake Dunham hit a three-run bomb to left field to put the Rafters up 11-1.

Harry Fullerton and Roman Trujillo both notched RBI singles in the sixth inning to pad the Rafters lead and make it 13-1. Fond du Lac threatened with a nine-run eighth inning to make it 13-10 Rafters.

However, the Rafters took the momentum right back when Trujillo put an exclamation point on the evening with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Brayden Bonner closed out the game, allowing no hits in the ninth to get the save.

Neil Abbatiello struck out two batters in three innings as the starter for Rapids. Cody Turner is credited with the win, striking out seven batters over four shutout innings in relief. Fond du Lac starter Houston Glad gets the loss.

The Rafters and Dock Spiders wrap up the series Sunday on the road in Fond du Lac, sending Wisconsin Rapids into the off day Monday. When the Rafters return to Historic Witter Field on Tuesday for Mid-State Technical College Turn Back the Clock Night, featuring a Rafters Retro jersey auction to benefit the Mid-State Foundation. Fans are encouraged to wear red.

Want to attend a Rafters game this season? Single-game tickets are on sale now. For more information on all Rafters ticket offerings visit Raftersbaseball.com, call the Rafthouse at 715-424-5400, or come visit us over at historic Witter Field. The Rafters ticket office is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday at Witter Field, 521 Lincoln Street in Wisconsin Rapids.

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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 Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 200 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.