Pit Spitters leave six runners in scoring position

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (11-9) won 3-0 to split the two-game series against the Traverse City Pit Spitters (13-6) and ended their four-game winning streak.

Both teams got great outings from their starters. The Rafters starter Ben Schoneman (Colorado School of Mines) threw four scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Three Pit Spitter runners were stranded in scoring position.

After the end of the third, a drizzle began to fall on Turtle Creek Stadium, which would last for the duration of the game.

Traverse City’s Jeremy Nuff allowed only two runners on through the first five innings. In the sixth, Blake Mann (St. Mary’s) blasted a ball over the left-field wall, it was only the second Rafters hit and first home run for Mann on the season.

From the fifth to the eighth, Wisconsin Rapids used four relievers. Daniel Frake (Rowan), Nick Torres (Long Island), Andrew Duran (New Orleans), and Hayden Harris (Georgia Southern) all threw scoreless innings.

The Rafters tacked on two insurance runs in the top of the ninth. After two singles and an error loaded the bases. EJ Exposito (Long Island) brought home two with a base hit to left field.

Brayden Bonner (Dixie State) entered in the ninth and allowed only one base runner. He earned his second save of the 2021 season and 20th career save as a Rafter.

The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters return home Monday, June 21, 2021, and face the Lakeshore Chinooks. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. The game can be heard on WFHR AM 1320 and seen 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’ 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