Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The rough stretch continued for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (2-11) Saturday evening as they dropped their game 10-3 against the Wausau Woodchucks (9-2-1). The Rafters kept it close through the early part of the game, but the home runs hurt as Wausau hit four of them including a pair in the eighth inning. The Rafters had strong games from Kerim Orucevic and Jake Beauchaine once again, but it couldn’t carry Wisconsin Rapids to a victory.
The Woodchucks were the first to score, adding one in the top of the first on an RBI single from Wausau’s Max Soliz off Rafters starter Jeremy Jones, making it a 1-0 game.
The Rafters responded with a two-run bottom half, seeing an RBI double from Orucevic and an RBI single from Royce Clayton Jr. off Wausau starter Amar Tsengeg to claim a 2-1 lead.
That lead grew to 3-1 in the bottom of the third when Orucevic picked up another RBI on a single off Wausau’s Tsengeg.
Jones couldn’t hold down the Woodchucks offense forever though, allowing a two-run homer from Noah Malone which tied the game 3-3 in the fourth.
Rafters reliever Jace Barajas (0-1) took over for Jones in the top of the fifth and although it was a shutout inning, Barajas allowed his only run of the game on a go-ahead solo homer in the top of the sixth from Wausau’s Jake Berkland.
While ultimately the Berkland homer would be enough for the win, the Woodchucks added a pair of two-run homers in the eighth off Rafters reliever Jack Wiessinger, one from Wausau’s Malone and another from Max Galvin. That made it a five-run game before Cade Baldridge sent home more on a two-RBI single to extend the Woodchucks lead to 10-3.
Reece Clapp finished the game on the mound for the Woodchucks, going two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts to close it out.
The loss was the Rafters’ 10th in a row, which is the first time since 2014 they have reached that mark. They’ll look for a win Sunday to give them some momentum heading into the All Star Break, but will have a tough task with a rematch of the Woodchucks. Sunday’s game is scheduled for 3:05 P.M. and will be broadcast for video on NWL+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.