Wisconsin Rapids, WI – It was a sour Opening Day for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters on
Monday night, dropping their first game 6-2 against the visiting Green Bay Rockers. The
Rockers were led by starting pitcher Alex LePage (1-0), who dealt five innings allowing just one
run, and bullpen arm Caden Crask-Weeks, who totaled three innings without a run or hit
allowed. The Rafters saw a strong debut from reliever Brennan Cohen with four, one-run innings
and a 2-4, two-RBI game from Brent Gallegos.

Green Bay broke onto the board first, with Brandon Rogers getting on base thanks to a hit-by-
pitch before swiping two bags and scoring on an RBI from Justin Journette off Wisconsin Rapids
starter Tristin Crusenberry (0-1). The Rockers scored again in the top of the second, building a
2-0 lead on Diego Urreta’s RBI single, sending home Cooper Smith.

The Rafters were still held scoreless into the third inning when Green Bay added another run on
Anthony Mazza’s sac fly off Crusenberry. The next batter, Rockers’ Journette launched a two-
run shot, sending home Rogers as well and making it 5-0 Green Bay.
From then, the teams traded scoreless frames before the Rafters were finally able to get on the
board in the fifth. In the top of the frame, Wisconsin Rapids’ Cohen relieved Crusenberry and
started with a three-up, three-down inning. The Rafters’ Gallegos picked up an RBI single,
sending home Hiroto Kobayashi and cutting the deficit to four.

Wisconsin Rapids’ Cohen continued perfection in the top of the sixth, and Green Bay’s Crask-
Weeks followed suit, relieving LePage between innings. Both pitchers dealt shutout sevenths,
with Cohen retiring his ninth batter in a row to start his Rafters career.

In the top of the eighth, the Rockers added one more to their lead when Collen Helms hit an RBI
triple to center field on a ball that was misplayed by Rafters’ outfielder Royce Clayton Jr.,
making it 6-1 Green Bay. Wisconsin Rapids couldn’t respond in the bottom of the frame, but the
Rockers followed suit in the top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the final inning, Jack Fortner came in to pitch for Green Bay, and started off
rough, issuing three-straight walks to load the bases. He struck out the next two batters, but
down to their last out, Wisconsin Rapids’ Brent Gallegos ripped an RBI single to left field.
Unfortunately for the Rafters, Jack Guerrero pushed his luck rounding third and was thrown out
at the plate to end the game.

The Rockers prepare to take on the Rafters again tomorrow night after winning the opener while
Wisconsin Rapids will hit the road looking for an away win to get back on track. The Rafters are
planning on throwing RHP Anthony Mateo to start while Green Bay is expecting RHP Maddox
Long to go. First pitch is at 6:35pm CT and can be caught televised on NWL+ or through radio
on WFHR Wisconsin Rapids.