Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The bats came out to play for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (3-11) Sunday evening as they took down the Wausau Woodchucks (9-3-1) behind four homers, 7-6. Those home runs included two from Jake Beauchaine, one from Hayden Carlson and one from Landon Gaz. Carlson went 4-5 from the plate with a double while Gaz went 2-2 with a walk and hit-by-pitch. The win snapped an extended losing streak and sends the Rafters into the All-Star Break with some momentum.

The game started with the Woodchucks scoring in the top of the first, seeing Wausau’s Noah Malone come home to score on a passed ball against Rafters starter Seth Spencer (2-4).

The Rafters offense was silenced by Woodchucks starter Brayden Mazzacano until the third inning, when Jake Beauchaine led off the inning with a game-tying solo shot. Wisconsin Rapids’ Hayden Carlson followed with a double which chased Wausau’s Mazzacano, and Carlson scored on Kerim Orucevic’s sacrifice fly off Woodchucks reliever Nate Ross (0-1) to give the Rafters a 2-1 lead. Landon Gaz then had an RBI single off Wausau’s Ross which extended the lead to 3-1.

The offense continued rolling for the Rafters in the bottom of the fourth, adding a pair of runs on back-to-back solo shots from Jake Beauchaine and Hayden Carlson off Wausau’s Ross.

Beauchaine has been red hot as of late for the Rafters and his confidence is a big part of his success.

“It was just for me, settling into the box, feeling comfortable and locking in that approach,” Beauchaine said.

Landon Gaz kept the home runs coming in the bottom of the fifth, smashing a solo bomb of his own off Wausau reliever Tanner Goswick to make it 6-1.

Rafters starter Seth Spencer was pulled to start the sixth inning and Justin Battle came in to take over. Spencer ended with five innings pitched, allowing just one run and eventually earned the win.

The lead grew even further for the Rafters in the bottom of the sixth thanks to an RBI double from Orucevic off Wausau reliever Landon Sexton which brought the score to 7-1.

From there, Wausau got a jolt of energy off the Rafters bullpen, cutting the lead to 7-3 in the top of the seventh with a Noah Malone two-run homer off Rafters’ Battle.

Trevor Moeck came in to try and close it down in the top of the ninth after a perfect eighth from Wisconsin Rapids’ Tristin Crusenberry, but the Woodchucks offensive front continued. Wausau’s Dylan Schlotterback had an RBI single before Max Soliz sent home two with a single of his own to make it 7-6.

From there the Rafters turned to Tony Torres, and although he walked the first batter he saw, he was able to work out of the bases loaded jam and finish the game to earn the save (4).

The win helped get the Rafters out of a rut while it stopped a scorching hot Wausau team which had won nine of its 12 games in the second half leading into the game.

“Glad the boys got the win today and that was huge for the next half coming up,” Beauchaine said.

The Rafters will look to continue the momentum after the All-Star Break, with their next game coming on Friday against Madison. The Rafters will host the Mallards with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 P.M. The game will be broadcast for video on NWL+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.