WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. – A massive inning for the Wausau Woodchucks guided them to victory against the Rafters in game one of the doubleheader at Witter Field on Thursday afternoon. 

The Woodchucks began the scoring in the ballgame with an RBI single off the bat of Colin Bruggeman in the first frame. Wisconsin Rapids responded with a three-spot in the bottom half. Jack Mathey tied the game up at one with a groundout to first base. Greyson Shafer rounded the bases one hitter later with a two-run homer, his fourth of the season. 

Wisconsin Rapids would tally another long ball in the second inning thanks to Trotter Boston. The shortstop’s two-out solo shot made it 4-1 Rafters. 

Wausau got a run back in the fourth with a homer of their own. Colin Bruggeman left the yard for his third round tripper of the campaign in just seven games. 

The biggest frame of the contest came in the top of the fifth. Wausau sent 14 hitters to the plate and scored nine times. After taking their walks, left fielder Isaac Webb clubbed a grand slam to make it 11-4 at the time. 

The Rafters added a pair in the sixth to make it 11-6. However, a solo home run from Max Galvin in the top of the eighth extended the lead to 12-6, putting the game out of reach.

Maddox Thornton got the start for Wisconsin Rapids in this one. The right-hander pitched four innings and allowed two runs on six hits. He faced 20 batters, striking out none and walking none.

Brandon Scott followed Thornton on the hill and got tabbed with the loss for Rapids. The southpaw could not record an out in the fifth and allowed six runs (five earned) on two hits.

Grant Siegel got the start and the win for Wausau. The right-hander went five innings and allowed four runs on six hits. Siegel did not walk a Rafter and struck out five on 78 pitches. 

The second game of the doubleheader is just a couple hours away at Witter Field. First pitch is slated for 6:35 and is the eighth matchup between the two teams this summer. The game is streamed live on the Northwoods League Plus App and can be heard on the radio home of Rafter Baseball, WFHR – 97.5 FM, 1320 AM .