By Luc Carter

The 6-10 Wisconsin Rapids Rafters hit the road for the first time in a week as they traveled to
La Crosse to take on the 11-7 Loggers in game 2 of a home and home weekend set. The Rafters
looked to sweep the Loggers and extend their win streak to four games.

Tristin Crusenberry took the mound for the Rafters. This was his first outing since giving up 10
earned runs last Saturday at Wausau. As Crusenberry has done his whole life he wouldn’t stay
down for long as he bounced back in a huge way this Sunday as he started off the game by
striking out 5 of the first 7 Loggers he faced in the first 2 innings of the game holding the
Loggers scoreless through 2.

Then in the top of the third inning the Rafters would open up the scoring thanks to Dylan Frank’s
19th RBI of the season on a fielder’s choice to score Esteban Olazaba.

Crusenberry continued to cruise as he would throw up scoreless frames in both the 3rd and 4th
inning before finally running into a little bit of trouble in the 5th inning where he would give up
2 singles and then a double to Savion Flowers which scored 2 runs and gave La Crosse a 2-1
lead. Crusenberry would get out of the inning getting the next 2 Loggers to ground out finishing
his day with a solid line of 5 innings pitched, 6 hits allowed, 2 earned runs, 6 strikeouts and 0
walks.

The Rafters offense had “The Sherriff’s” back as back-to-back doubles from Zach Gingrich and
Carter Bennett would tie the game up at 2-2 in the top of the 6th. Gingrich’s double was his
second of the day which gave him the lone lead for doubles in the entire Northwoods League
with 9 on the season.

In the bottom of the 6th inning La Crosse flexed their offensive muscles striking for 4 runs on 4
hits to make it a 6-2 ballgame. The Rafters had a tough day defensively committing 5 errors on
the day, 2 of which came in the big 6th inning. Connor Raradin would enter the game to replace
Gage Honeyager and got the Rafters out of the inning recording the final 2 outs of the inning.
The Rafters refused to go away as in the top of the 7th inning with 2 outs Estaban Olazaba would
single and then Jax Legrand would draw a walk in a 7 pitch at bat to bring up the Rafters leader
in RBI to the plate, Dylan Frank. Frank would once again come through clutch, ripping a triple
down the right field line to clear the bases and make it a 6-4 game keeping the Rafters in it.
Frank would be stranded at 3rd after Ryan Bevington would strikeout Gingrich to end the inning.

Raradin worked a scoreless bottom of the 7th to get the Rafters bats back up in the top of the 8th.
Bennett and Soto both singled and pinch hitter Harrison Engskov drew a walk to load the bases.
With one out Josiah Palomino came up to the plate. Palomino drew a walk on 5 pitches to bring
in Bennett from third to cut the deficit to 1, 6-5 Loggers with the bases loaded and only 1 out in
the inning.

The Loggers made a call to the bullpen bringing in Dalton Smith. Coming into today's game
Smith had pitched 5 innings without giving up a hit or a run this summer. He continued this in
the 8th getting the first batter he faced, Olazaba to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the
inning.

Raradin would once again dig in and deliver a scoreless inning to give the Rafters a chance in the
top of the 9th with LeGrand, Frank and Gingrich due up down by 1 run.

LeGrand led off the inning with a gritty at bat drawing a leadoff walk. Smith would start to lose
his command issuing a 5 pitch walk to Frank next. Then Gingrich would pick up the first hit off
of Smith this season with an infield hit to load the bases with no outs.

Bennett was next up and he hit a ground ball to first baseman Mana Lau Kong who threw home
to get the force out on LeGrand at the plate for the first out. Nico DeFazio was the next up to the
plate and the Rafters would get hit with deja vu from the previous inning as DeFazio hit a ground
ball at the shortstop Joey Senstock who started a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

The Rafters fell 6-5 to end the winning streak in a game they came as close as possible to
completing a miraculous comeback.

The Rafters begin a 2 game home series against the Kalamazoo Grizzlies tomorrow with first
pitch at 6:35 with Colton LaFave making his first start of the season.