Early Run Production Leads to Rafters Win in Wausau

Five runs in the first two innings pace the offense behind a dominant DiPasquale start

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – In the longest outing by a Rafters starting pitcher this season, Quinn DiPasquale tossed seven and two-thirds of one run ball to lead Wisconsin Rapids (7-1) to a 6-1 win Tuesday night from Athletic Park against the Wisconsin Woodchucks (2-6).

It did not take long for the Rafters offense to give DiPasquale (1-0) all the runs he would need to earn his first victory of the season. In the top of the first, Dustin Woodcock singled with two outs and was followed up by a Ryan Stekl single. Josh Rehwaldt drilled a double to centerfield to drive in both runners and give the Rafters a 2-0 lead after one.

In the top of the second, Wisconsin Rapids tagged Woodchucks starting pitcher DJ Moreland (0-1) for more runs, starting with a Bryson Stott RBI groundout. Woodcock drove a double to the left-center field gap to drive in another run to give the Rafters a 4-0 lead. Rehwaldt continued his strong day with an RBI single, extending the lead 5-0 after two innings.

The only run the Woodchucks could muster off DiPasquale came on an Andrew Kendrick solo home-run in the top of the fifth.

Matt Schmidt brought in an insurance run for the Rafters in the top of the ninth on an RBI single to push the lead to 6-1. Cameron Busby entered the game to relieve DiPasquale, pitching the game’s final inning and a third in his third appearance of the season.

With its third road win of the season, the Rafters now own a five-game winning streak.

Wisconsin Rapids returns home to face the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders at Witter Field on Wednesday night for Assumption Catholics Schools Night. Pregame coverage begins at 6:50 pm on AM 1320 WFHR and WFHR.com, the Rafters Radio Network. First pitch is set for 7:05pm with the gates opening at 6:05 pm.  

 

 

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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 170 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit http://northwoodsleague.com/wisconsin-rapids-rafters/ or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.