GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters have now done something that no other team has done in the 28-year history of the Northwoods League: win 29 games in the first half. The Rafters won their 29th game over the Green Bay Rockers by a score of 10-2 in a rain-shortened seven inning game.
The Rafters came out and were ready to play on America’s 246th Birthday. After loading the bases with only one out in the top half of the first, Garrett Broussard came through in the clutch with a one-out two-run single to put the Rafters up, 2-0. Harry Owen hit an RBI sacrifice fly to put the Rafters ahead 3-0 before Green Bay even touched a bat. Cam Nolet threw a scoreless bottom half of the first for Wisconsin Rapids.
Ben Ross made it a 4-0 game in the fourth after he got a two-out single, then came all the way home to score after a stolen base, a wild pitch, and then an E2 throwing error into left field. Nolet threw a scoreless second and third innings before he exited the game. He threw three scoreless innings, gave up only one hit, allowed two walks, and struck out one.
Jake Dahle came in the game for the Rafters to pitch in the fourth. He retired the side in order 1-2-3 in the fourth. The Rats bats came back alive in the top of the fifth, as Seth Stroh and Harry Owen each had an RBI single to put the Rafters ahead 6-0. Dahle retired the Rockers in order again in the bottom of the fifth.
Ben Ross hit his second inside-the-park homer of 2022 and his eighth homer overall to lead off the sixth inning, as he put the Rats ahead 7-0. Brady Jurgella made it an 8-0 game when he scored on an RBI groundout by Jacob Igawa. Garrett Broussard scored on another E2 throwing error by the Rockers, as he made it 9-0. However, Dahle gave up two Green Bay runs in the bottom half of the sixth to make it a 9-2 game. Ben Ross hit an RBI single in the seventh to make a 10-2 score. Cooper Robinson entered to pitch in the bottom half for the Wisconsin Rapids, but only after facing two batters, the game was put into a delay. After a little over half hour delay, the game was ruled final, and the Rafters received their historic 29th win. Jake Dahle was the winning pitcher for Wisconsin Rapids. Ross, Jurgella, Bobo, Broussard, and Stroh all had multi-hit afternoons, with Ross leading the way with three.
The Rafters (29-6) have tomorrow, July 5th, off. On Wednesday, July 6th, the Rafters will play host to the Wausau Woodchucks at 6:35 pm to begin the Northwoods League second half.
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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’ 28th 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 280 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 (NYM), 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 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. 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.
