Rafters Sweep Mallards in Madison on Friday

Henderson earns 15th save, offense shows timely at-bats in two wins

 

Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – To finish the season series against Madison (30-26, 11-11), Wisconsin Rapids (41-17, 14-8) completed a double-header sweep of the Mallards on Friday at Warner Park, winning game one 9-6, and game two 5-3. The Rafters finished the season 6-2 against the Mallards. 

 

Madison jumped on Rafters starter Jesse Slinger (7-1) in the first inning, led off by a Cole Daily double on the first pitch he saw. Daily advanced to third on a fielder’s choice, and scored on a Sam Armstrong sacrifice fly. 

 

To lead off the second, Dustin Woodcock reached on an error, and came around to score on a Dom Paiotti to tie the game at one. Quickly taking the lead for the first time, Charlie McConnell led off the third with a walk. Bryson Stott followed with a walk, and Ryan Stekl singled to left to give the Rafters a 2-1 lead. Will Davis led off the third for the Rafters with a double, and scored when he stole third base and the throw flew passed third basemen Thomas Smart to put Wisconsin Rapids in front 3-1. 

 

Sam Armstrong tied the game with one swing for Madison, lifting a two-run homer to center to tie the game 3-3 after four. 

 

In the fifth, the Mallards got a jumpstart from the bottom of their order. Cade Bunnell led off with a single, and Maverick Handley drew a walk. Andrew Baker singled to center to give Madison a 4-3 before Armstrong roped a double to bring in two more and push the Mallards in front 6-3 after five. 

 

Wisconsin Rapids wasted little time on offense to jump back in front. To lead off the sixth, Jared Nelson drove a double, McConnell singled, and Anderson drove in Nelson on a single. Stott drove a double to left to pull the game within one before Stekl tied the game on a sacrifice fly. Woodcock then flared a single to left, giving the Rafters the lead back, 7-6. Two more Rafters scored on a Mallards error to put the Rafters in front 9-6. 

 

Cameron Busby worked the final two innings of the game to earn his third save on the season, striking out Doran Turchin in the seventh with two men on base to secure the 9-6 win. Slinger picks up his seventh win of the season, tossing five innings. 

 

Game two

 

In the first inning, McConnell reached on an error and came around to score on a double play ball to put the Rafters in the lead 1-0. 

 

Rafter’s starter Jack Eagan dealt two scoreless innings to start the game, striking out five batters before allowing two runs in the third to Madison. Zac Taylor notched an RBI single, and the second run scored on an overthrow of third to push the Mallards ahead 2-1. 

 

Tristian Bayless walked Stott to start off the fourth while giving up a single to Woodcock in the next at-bat. Davis walked to load the bases, and in his first game with Wisconsin Rapids, Michael Ruffolo worked a bases loaded walk to bring home a run and tie the game 2-2.  

 

The first two runners of the fifth inning reached base for Rapids, as Nick Anderson singled and Stekl walked. Woodcock roped a single to right to give the Rafters their second lead of the game, 3-2. 

 

Matt Elsenpeter led off the bottom of the inning for Madison with a base knock, and was followed up by a Daily single. Vinsky bounced into a fielder’s choice, and Taylor drove in the tying run on a sacrifice fly. 

 

McConnell continued to swing a hot bat with a single to lead off the seventh. Anderson bunted him over, and Stekl was intentionally walked. Stott drove as single to left to load the bases for Woodcock. The lefty drove a double down the left field line to score two, and give the Rafters a 5-3 lead. 

 

Layne Henderson entered in the bottom of the inning to work his league-leading 15th save in as many tries, striking out two batters to complete the 5-3 win.

 

Wisconsin Rapids heads home after sweeping Madison, hosting the Lakeshore Chinooks on Saturday. Gates open at 5:05 p.m. for a 6:05 p.m. first pitch at Witter Field. Saturday is Heartland Farms Rally Entertainment night. Coverage begins at 5:50 p.m. on AM 1320 WFHR and WFHR.com, the Rafters Radio Network. 

 

 

 

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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, 180 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 www.raftersbaseball.comor download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.