Ashwaubenon, Wis. – A huge eighth inning propelled the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (5-9) to a blowout victory over the Green Bay Rockers (7-7) Sunday afternoon 15-5. The Rafters were anchored by strong relief pitching, with Brennan Cohen (1-0) and Alejandro Morales allowing just two runs in the final six innings while Spencer Davis’ big day at the plate boosted the offense.

It was a hot start for the Rafters, with Madden Ocko picking up a two-RBI single off Rockers starter Jayden Martin (0-1) before he was pulled after just two outs. Jack Guerrero followed suit with a two-RBI single of his own off Green Bay reliever Koshiro Ohno, extending the Wisconsin Rapids lead to 4-0.

Rafters starter Matthew Pinal blanked the Rockers in the first, but in the bottom of the second, Green Bay narrowed the lead to 4-3 with a three spot. It started with Brayden Buchanan’s RBI double before Jake Altman’s RBI single and David Ballenilla RBI grounder capped off the inning.

The game remained a one-run margin until the seventh inning, when the Rafters finally got some breathing room. Matthew Pinal was pulled to start the fourth inning and Brennan Cohen took over for him, pitching into the seventh.

In the top of the seventh, the Rafters saw a pair reach base with one out when Wisconsin Rapids’ Davis launched a no-doubter over the right field wall off Green Bay’s Tomas Lopez, extending the lead to 7-3.

The Rockers quickly responded, putting up two runs on Brennan Cohen in the bottom of the frame on David Ballenilla’s two-RBI single to make it 7-5.

While it seemed like a close game at the outset of the eighth, fans knew who was going to win by the end of it. Rockers reliever Simon Aluko started the inning and walked two batters while hitting one with a pitch, only recording one out before he was pulled. Green Bay’s Mac Yarbrough came in after that, and struck out the first batter before walking Madden Ocko, Pat Costin and Jack Guerrero with the bases loaded to extend the Rafters lead to 10-5.

Aiden Ewe then relieved Yarbrough with the bases still loaded, and he walked Hiroto Kobayashi before hitting JJ Garcia with a pitch, then allowing a three-RBI triple from Ruiz to cap off the eight-run inning.

From that point, nobody scored again, with Alejandro Morales locking down the Rockers over 2.2 innings to complete the game.

The Rafters now sit 1.5 games behind Fond du Lac for fourth in the subdivision and keep a one-game cushion over Lakeshore for sixth. The Rockers stayed in third place, but up just half a game on Fond du Lac for fourth. The Rafters will head to Mequon next to take on the Lakeshore Chinooks for a two-game road series. The first game will be played at 6:35pm on Monday and will be televised on NWL+ and broadcast on radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.