Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – It was a tough game all-around for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (2-2) during their Independence Day celebration, falling 14-3 to the Lakeshore Chinooks (2-2) Friday afternoon. Things started off on the wrong foot and the Rafters couldn’t get momentum throughout the game. Tyler Pechetti and Drew Thompson combined for 5.1 innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen, but it wasn’t enough for the win.

The Chinooks offense exploded out of the barrel, scoring six runs in the top of the first on Rafters starter Tristin Crusenberry (1-3) thanks to four RBI singles, an error and a stolen base.

Leading 6-0, the visitors would add one more to their total in the third on Wisconsin Rapids’ Drew Thompson and four more in the fourth on Rafters reliever AJ Buenaseda, making it 11-0.

The first runs of the game came across for Wisconsin Rapids in the bottom of the fourth with Hayden Carlson’s two-RBI single off Lakeshore starter Arthur Liebau, but it would stay 11-2 for a while.

That score finally changed in the top of the eighth, but not in the Rafters favor, seeing Lakeshore score three runs on Wisconsin Rapids reliever Preston Steiner and making it a 14-2 game.

The Rafters managed one more in the bottom of the eighth on Eric Harper’s RBI double, but the final score would be 14-3 as former Rafter Logan Schulfer locked it down in the ninth for Lakeshore.

The Chinooks and Rafters now both are at .500 in the second half and are a game back of first in the subdivision. The Rafters will take on the Madison Mallards next, traveling to the Duck Pond for a game Saturday. That game will start at 6:05 P.M. and will be broadcast for video on NWL+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.