The Rafters dominated game two with a 9-0 shutout victory

Battle Creek, MI – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (25-29) earned a doubleheader split with the Battle Creek Bombers (18-35) Sunday afternoon with a 4-2 defeat and 9-0 victory.

Game One

Sunday’s game resumed in the top of the third after being postponed Saturday night due to heavy rain in south-central Michigan. Battle Creek led Wisconsin Rapids 3-2.

Billy Black (Columbia) started pitching for the Rafters in the resumed game. The righty was fantastic, pitching five innings of one run baseball.

After the Bombers scratched across a run in the bottom of the fourth the Rafters could not muster a run. Nine hits were spoiled as the Rafters grounded into three inning ending double plays over the course of the nine innings. Sterling Hayes (Creighton) and Marco Castillo (Claremont-McKenna) led the Rafters in the game with two hits apiece.

Game Two

Wisconsin Rapids got out to an early lead in the seven inning game two. Kyle Teel (Virginia) making his 2021 debut on Sunday as a Rafter had an RBI single as part of a two run first inning. The Rafters blew things open in the third inning with three runs. Ben Swords (Webster) had an RBI single and Addie Burrow (Virginia) added a two RBI single.

Ben Schoneman (Colorado School of Mines) dominated from the pitcher’s mound. He struck out a season high five batters over five scoreless innings and allowed just three hits with no walks. 

The Rafters added an exclamation point to the victory with four runs in the sixth inning. McKinley Erves (LaGrange) had a two RBI single as part of a three hit and three run game. Couper Cornblum (Wichita State) also added a two RBI single as part of a three hit and three RBI game. 

The shutout was Wisconsin Rapids’ first since June 23rd. Overall they limited Battle Creek to just three baserunners over the seven innings. The Rafters offense finished with 12 singles out of 13 hits.

The Rafters continue their five game road trip Monday evening back in Wisconsin. The Lakeshore Chinooks will host Wisconsin Rapids in Mequon at 6:35 PM in the opener of a two game series. The game can be heard on WFHR AM 1320. 

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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