MEQUON, Wis. – In a season full of firsts for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, there was finally a first for 2022 that nobody was looking forward to.  The Rafters were swept by the Lakeshore Chinooks tonight, the first time Wisconsin Rapids has been swept this season.  The final score was another one run loss, 3-2.  

Brendan Bobo laced a single in the top of the first, but he was stranded to end the inning.  Rafters starter, Michael Lindsey, retired the Chinooks in order, 1-2-3, to end the bottom of the first.  In the second frame, both teams were retired three up and three down.  This trend continued in the third, as Michael Lindsey was perfect through three innings for the Rafters, and Xander Rojahn of Lakeshore had only allowed one baserunner.

Both offenses started to come alive in the fourth.  The Rats took the lead in the top half of the inning via a towering solo homer from Colin Tuft, his third of 2022.  Tuft’s homer put Rats ahead 1-0, but the lead would be short lived.  In the bottom half of the fourth, Michael Seegers and Tony Livermore reached base via leadoff singles for the Chinooks.  With one out, both Seegers and Livermore executed a double steal, and then an E2 allowed Seegers to come home to score. Later in the at-bat, an RBI sacrifice fly gave Lakeshore a 2-1 lead. 

The Rats were held scoreless in the top half of the fifth, Lindsey countered with a scoreless home half of the fifth.  The Rafters had a golden opportunity in the top half of the sixth. With the bases loaded and only one out, the Rafters struck out and flew out to strand the bases loaded.  Lindsey again shut down Lakeshore in the bottom of the sixth.  He exited the game at the end of six innings.  Lindsey’s final line was two runs allowed (none earned), three hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. 

Colin Tuft struck again in the top of the seventh with an RBI single that drove in Levi Jensen to tie the game back at 2-2.  Donovan Brandl entered to pitch for Wisconsin Rapids in the bottom of the seventh, as he retired the side in order, 1-2-3.  The Rafters were retired in order in the top of the eighth inning, and the Chinooks were able to strike for the game-winning run in the home half.  A Tony Livermore RBI single gave the Chinooks a 3-2 lead.  The Rafters were retired 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth to end the game.  Aidan Longwell picked up the win for Lakeshore, Donovan Brandl picked up the loss for the Rafters, and Mitch Mueller received the save. 

The Rafters (42-12) will play a doubleheader tomorrow at Wausau against the Woodchucks (28-25) with the first game beginning at 12:05 pm and game two beginning at 6:35 pm.  Catch all the action on 1320 AM/97.5 FM with the radio voice of the Rafters, Brett Loftis. 

###

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.