FOND DU LAC, WI. – The Rafters fell behind the 8-ball early at Herr-Baker Field on Thursday night and never held the lead against Fond du Lac. 

The Dock Spiders plated four runs in the first inning and sent eight hitters to the plate. Drew Barragan drove in the game’s first run on a double. Caden Shapiro followed up Barragan with an RBI two-bagger of his own, good for the first baseman’s fifth of the season. Tyler Stack collected an RBI single and former Rafter Gus Walker made it 4-0 on a groundout to second base. 

Wisconsin Rapids made it a one-run ballgame thanks to a three-spot in the third. Walker Buchanan stretched his hitting streak to six games with a two-run triple. The Virginia Cavalier has 12 RBIs in the streak and has recorded both of his triples at Herr-Baker Field this season. Landon Gaz made it 4-3 with an RBI single two batters later. 

The Dock Spiders added another run on a Drew Howard RBI knock in the fourth before the Rats cut it back to a one-run deficit. Dalton Fiveash worked a bases-loaded walk with nobody out in the fifth, but that’s the only run the Rafters posted in the inning. Gabe Caso hit into a 1-2-3 double play, and Aidan Teel left the bags loaded on a tapper back to the mound that retired the side. 

Fond du Lac finalized the scoring at 6-4 on a sacrifice fly from Stack in the home half of the fifth inning. 

Noah Willingham got the start and loss for Wisconsin Rapids. The right-hander went five innings and allowed six runs on eight hits. The Steele, MO native walked three and struck out one on 79 pitches. 

Josh Novak followed Willingham and dazzled out of the Rafter bullpen. The right-hander did not allow a run or hit in three innings of work. Novak walked one and struck out four on 38 pitches. The Hillsdale College product lowered his season ERA to 0.90 in six appearances.

Jace Midbon got the nod on the rubber for the Dock Spiders. The St. Norbert product allowed three runs in 2.1 innings in his third outing of the summer. Midbon surrendered three hits, walked four, and struck out one on 63 pitches. 

Brandon Brust got the win in relief for Fond du Lac. The right-hander tossed 3.2 innings and allowed a run on two hits. Brust walked four and did not collect a strikeout in his 59 pitches thrown. 

The Rafters return home Friday night for a two-game series against the Green Bay Rockers to conclude the 2024 season. There will be a team poster giveaway for fans in attendance and post-game fireworks. First pitch is slated for 6:35 at Historic Witter Field for the third matchup between Wisconsin Rapids and Green Bay in August. The call of tomorrow’s game can be found on 97.5 FM/1320 AM – WFHR with Andy Jachim, or on the Northwoods League Plus App with Khalin Kapoor.