Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – Back-to-back games ended in a similar fashion for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (4-8) as they fell by two runs to the Royal Oak Leprechauns (7-4) with the tying runner at the plate. The Rafters stayed in the game thanks to phenomenal pitching throughout the night, allowing just one earned run in the matchup. Kenny Schultz went five innings of one-run ball while Tristin Crusenberry (0-2) pitched three innings and Cannon Restine pitched one without allowing an earned run.
It was a pitcher’s duel early on, with neither team scoring until the fifth inning. Schultz had a perfect game into the fifth, but in the top of the frame, Chase Van Ameyde broke it up with a leadoff single and came around to score on an RBI grounder from Aidan Schuck.
Leprechauns starter Gabe Jones went four scoreless, allowing just four baserunners, but was relieved by Ethan Lapointe (1-0) to start the fifth. The Rafters tied it up in the bottom of the inning thanks to an RBI single from Hiroto Kobayashi, but stranded the bases loaded to keep it 1-1.
Tristin Crusenberry relieved Rafters’ Schultz in the sixth and Dylan Larkins scored on a passed ball to give the Leprechauns a 2-1 lead.
From there, the teams traded scoreless frames, but in the top of the eighth, Royal Oak added one more run when Leprechauns first baseman Ryan Tyranski picked up a one-out double off Crusenberry which was followed by a single from Jack Boike and an error from Rafters left fielder Jack Guerrero, extending the lead to 3-1.
Tristan Crane relieved Ethan Lapointe to start the seventh and shut out the Rafters over his three innings of work. Wisconsin Rapids threatened with the tying runner at the plate in the ninth, but Crane retired the last two batters in a row to earn the save (1).
The Rafters have dropped two in a row and will finish the homestand on Saturday with Green Bay in town. The Leprechauns are now tied atop the Great Lakes East while the Rafters remain in fifth place in the Great Lakes West. Saturday’s game in Wisconsin Rapids will have first pitch at 6:35 P.M. and will be broadcast on video on NWL+ and on radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.