Fond du Lac, Wis. – Strong pitching from the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (15-21) was too much for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (9-25) to overcome as they dropped the road game 9-4. Dock Spiders starter Jordan Touhey (2-2) and reliever Colton Angell combined to allow just two runs over eight innings, holding back the Rafters offense until it was too late. Kerim Orucevic had a 3-4 game with a triple for the Rafters while Easton Zempel threw another three scoreless innings, but they couldn’t propel the team to a win.

The Dock Spiders had minimal but consistent scoring in the first few innings, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-RBI double off Rafters starter Justin Battle (3-1). They followed with another run in the second and third innings off Battle, extending the lead to 4-0.

While it seemed the game may get out of hand, the Rafters finally got the offense going against Fond du Lac’s Touhey in the top of the fourth. Kerim Orucevic tacked on a run with an RBI triple and Jake Beauchaine added one with his RBI double to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Wisconsin Rapids’ Easton Zempel came into the game for the Rafters in the bottom of the fourth and kept the score 4-2 into the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, Jackson Phillipp took over after Zempel’s three scoreless innings but couldn’t keep the momentum. The Dock Spiders scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh and another two in the bottom of the eighth off Wisconsin Rapids’ Phillipp, extending the Fond du Lac lead to 9-2.

In the top of the ninth, the Rafters faced Fond du Lac’s Samuel Moses, and while Payton Bryant had an RBI double and Christian Bermudez an RBI single, a play at the plate finished the game 9-4.

The Rafters have just two games left this season but have now lost back-to-back matchups as they hit the final series of the year. The Rafters will play the Wausau Woodchucks for a two-game set starting Friday evening, and the Woodchucks are in must-win mode as they enter tied for first in the subdivision with the Madison Mallards, who have one more game to play than Wausau. If the Rafters can take down the Woodchucks, it likely eliminates them from the playoffs unless Madison loses two against the Rockers. First pitch of Friday’s game between the Woodchucks and Rafters is scheduled for 6:35 P.M. and the game will be broadcast for video on NWL+ and for radio on WFHR 97.5 FM/1320 AM.