Rafters knock two more home runs to retake league lead in loss.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters were denied in their quest for five straight wins in a 10-5 loss to the La Crosse Loggers on Monday night.

The league’s best offense got started in the third, down 1-0. Cole Bartels singled to lead off the inning, and after Billy Cook was hit by a pitch and Ryan Walstad drew a walk, catcher Jake Dunham came to the plate versus La Crosse starting pitcher Mitch Lines. A 2019 All-Star, Dunham was clutch, sharply doubling down the left field line on the seventh pitch of the at bat. Dunham cleared the bases with Bartels, Cook, and Walstad all came around to score to make it 3-1.

One inning later, the Rafters struck again with power. Designated hitter Hank Zeisler pounced on a 2-0 pitch from Lines for a massive solo home run with one out in the fourth. The home run came off the bat at 104 mph and travelled 430 feet, leading to a 4-1 lead for the Rafters until the sixth.

The Loggers got one run on a JT Thompson solo home run in the sixth and three more runs in the seventh to take their first lead. The Rafters had a response from their star first baseman in the eighth.

Facing Loggers pitcher Cam Robinson, Jack-Thomas Wold lifted a 1-2 pitch up and out of the ballpark for a tying solo home run. Wold’s home run was his fifth, tied for the lead in the Wisconsin-Illinois Pod with teammate Ryan Walstad. After the home run, the Loggers would get five more in the bottom half of the inning to put the game on ice. J.T. Thompson drove in six runs for La Crosse, including a grand slam in the eighth.

Tomorrow, the Wisconsin Woodchucks visit Witter Field on Skyward Educators Appreciation Night. Coverage of the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters and Woodchucks begins at 6:20pm on AM 1320 WFHR and on the Northwoods League Baseball Network (TV) at 6:30pm. 

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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’ 26^th 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.