The third shutout of the season opens a two-game series with the Loggers.
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters pitching staff has been the best in the Wisconsin-Illinois Pod so far in 2020 and continued their dominance on Wednesday. Four Rafters combined to strike out 10 La Crosse batters and allowed only three hits in the third shutout win for the Rafters in the 2020 season, 2-0.
All the Rafters needed to improve to 11-4 was a solo home run in the second inning by Ryan Walstad. The Sacramento State second basemen drove a 2-0 fastball up and over the right field fence for his second round-tripper of the season. In the sixth, Walstad knocked in another run with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Christian Sepulveda.
The starting pitcher for the Rafters was Chris McElvain. The Vanderbilt right-hander threw four and a third innings of scoreless baseball, upping his scoreless streak to 12.1 innings to start the season. Brandon Siegenthaler, Alex Salazar, and Brayden Bonner all relieved McElvain and continued to impress. The Rafters relief crew combined to allow one hit over 4.2 innings. Siegenthaler picked up the win, his second, and Bonner got his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
The Rafters return to action tomorrow in La Crosse. Coverage of tomorrow’s game starts at 6:20pm on AM 1320 WFHR and on television at 6:30pm on the Northwoods League Baseball 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 Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, 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 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. 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.
