Fond du Lac, Wis. – Strikeouts dominated the night for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (1-1) as they had a season-high 15 to help win 9-5 against the hosting Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (1-1). The Rafters trailed early, but the offense caught on in the middle innings and stayed consistent the rest of the way. While Jeremy Jones and Trevor Moeck (1-0) combined for 10 strikeouts and one run in 6.1 innings, it was Hayden Carlson who was the player of the game, going 4-5 with five RBIs and a homer.

A pitcher’s duel early, the first run of the game wasn’t scored until the bottom of the third when the Dock Spiders picked up a run off Rafters starter Jeremy Jones thanks to a TP Wentworth RBI double, making it 1-0.

The Rafters scored next, taking the lead in the top of the fifth 2-1. The first run came across when a passed ball sent home Wisconsin Rapids’ Carlson. A walk of Noah Hata chased Fond du Lac starter Stormy Rhodes (0-2) from the game with runners on the corners, but Dock Spiders reliever Elden Santana couldn’t keep the game tied, allowing an RBI double from Royce Clayton Jr. to give the Rafters the lead.

Clayton Jr. was another superstar for the Rafters, finishing the game 3-4 with a pair of walks. Both him and Wisconsin Rapids’ Landon Gaz reached base at least four times, pairing well with Carlson’s big game.

The offense continued rolling in the sixth for the Rafters, and it was thanks to Hayden Carlson’s two-RBI single off Fond du Lac reliever Garrett Workman which extended the lead to 4-1.

The seventh inning saw more runs for Wisconsin Rapids, with Luke Skinner wearing a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch from Garrett Workman to make it 5-1. Ben Kasten then relieved Workman but allowed a sacrifice fly from Wisconsin Rapids’ Hiroto Kobayashi before Carlson had another RBI on a single that extended the lead to 7-1.

While the lead felt comfortable, the Dock Spiders slowly climbed back into it with a four run eighth to make it 7-5. Ashton Poole allowed a one-out single before he was pulled from the game, but Preston Steiner struggled with back-to-back walks and a single in relief. Jack Wiessinger then came into the game with runners on second and first in a four-run game, but an error and RBI single made it closer before he worked out of it.

In the top of the ninth, the Rafters got some insurance from Hayden Carlson, sending a moonshot over the left field wall with one runner on to make it 9-5.

Wisconsin Rapids’ Wiessinger returned in the bottom of the ninth, and despite a single and walk, he worked out of the inning without allowing a run to earn the save (1).

The Rafters win brings them back to .500 in the second half as they bring the season series with the Dock Spiders closer. The Rafters will return to Witter Field for four of their next five games, taking on the Lakeshore Chinooks next. They will play Wednesday at 6:35 P.M. and the game will be broadcast for video on NWL+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.