Rafters are now 2-1 at home against the Mallards

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (7-8) finished their homestand with a shutout 3-0 victory over the Madison Mallards (7-8).

The Rafters after being held scoreless the previous two games, jumped out to a quick start after an RBI single from Marco Castillo (Claremont McKenna).

Ben Vespi (Central Florida) started his first game of the season for Wisconsin Rapids, and went three innings allowing only one hit with two strikeouts.

The Rafters followed with five pitchers from the bullpen. Jack Gonzales (Dixie State) earned the win after entering in the fourth and escaping with no outs and bases loaded in the fifth.

Wisconsin Rapids added two runs in the bottom of the sixth after Addie Burrow (Virginia) drove in Castillo and Jacob Hinderleider (Davidson) with a double.

“It was a good job for the guys ahead of me to get on base, it was a good set-up,” said Burrow.

Nick Torres (Long Island), Hayden Harris (Georgia Southern) and Zach Bennett (Central Florida) kept the Mallards off the board in the sixth, seventh and eighth.

In the ninth, Brayden Bonner (Dixie State) took the mound for the first time in 2021 and earned his 19th career save as a Rafter.

The Mallards in total had nine hits but left 11 runners on base.

The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters’ begin a five game road trip, Wednesday June 16th following an off-day tomorrow. They will play the Madison Mallards to complete a home and home series, with first pitch at 6:35 PM. The game can be heard on WFHR 1320 AM.

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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’ 27^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 250 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 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 Gold Glove finalist and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TOR). 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