Fond du Lac, Wis. – The pitchers came out to play in the first game of the second half, but it was the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (1-0) who ended up on topping, taking the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (0-1) down 3-1. The Rafters had the early lead, but consistent pressure from the Dock Spiders let them come back and claim the victory. Wisconsin Rapids’ Noah Marschke went four scoreless innings, but Fond du Lac’s Noah Wech (2-0) allowed just one run in seven innings while both racked up strikeouts.

It didn’t look like a pitcher’s duel in the early goings with the Rafters putting up a run on Dock Spiders starter Wech thanks to an RBI double from Wisconsin Rapids’ Junior Barajas in the top of the first, but he quickly turned it around.

Despite the early score, that’s all that would be put up until the Rafters bullpen took over to start the fifth. In four innings, Wisconsin Rapids’ Marschke struck out 10 batters, allowing just two hits in his appearance. Marschke was the first Rafters pitcher since Matt Osterberg in 2021 to strike out 10+ batters in a game.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Tyler Pechetti (0-1) came in for Marschke, but it didn’t go his way, allowing an RBI single from James Hankerson Jr. in the fifth and loading the bases on hit by pitches in the sixth. That brought Brent Gallegos into the game for the Rafters, but a wild pitch sent home the go-ahead run home for the Dock Spiders and made it 2-1.

Fond du Lac’s Noah Wech was finally pulled before the eighth inning, but the damage was done. He totaled 12 strikeouts while allowing just three batters to reach base on 102 pitches.

The result wasn’t much different for Wisconsin Rapids with Dock Spiders reliever Luke Parise going three up, three down in the eighth.

Tony Torres came in for the Rafters as a reliever in the bottom of the eighth, but a sacrifice fly from Fond du Lac’s Taylor Freeman extended the Dock Spiders lead to 3-1.

The Rafters threatened in the ninth inning, drawing back-to-back walks to lead off the frame, but Luke Parise retired the next three to keep the two stranded and earn the save (5).

The Dock Spiders will host the Rafters again Wednesday evening looking for a series sweep. The game will be played at 6:35 P.M. and will be broadcast for video on NWL+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.