Rafters Break Free From The Web Defeating Dock Spiders 11-2
Wisconsin Rapids has now won back-to-back games at home following the 11-2 win
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters scored nine runs between the fourth and fifth innings to take down the Dock Spiders 11-2 in game one of the season series. After Fond du Lac scored one in the first, the Rafters plated a run of their own as Payton Robertson (Lamar) came home on an RBI single from Jake Dunham (Northern Illinois). The cranberry and gold broke the stalemate in the fourth scoring four runs on four hits capped off by a two-run single from Robertson as well as extra-base hits from Jack-Thomas Wold (UNLV) and Mitch Mallek (St. Cloud State). Five more runs crossed home plate in the fifth off five hits and four Dock Spiders errors. The Rafters only committed one error and kept Fond du Lac off the board thanks to solid defense including a highlight-worthy 4-6-3 double play started by Michael Ruffolo (Rockhurst).
The Rafters scored once more in the seventh off an RBI single from Josh Campbell to make it 11-1. Fond du Lac worked a walk with the bases loaded to score once in the eighth for their second and final run.
Charlie Ruegger earned his first win of the year. Ruegger threw five innings of one-run ball and became the 13th Rafter in team history to strike out nine batters in a game. As a team, Wisconsin Rapids collected 19 hits, the fourth time in franchise history the team totaled this amount. The last time this occurred was on July 22nd, 2016 against the Rockford Rivets in a 15-3 win.
The series continues tomorrow at Witter Field with a 6:05 pm first pitch. RHP Jake Cook (1-0, 0.00) will start for Wisconsin Rapids opposite RHP Jon Young (0-0, 0.00) of Fond du Lac. Get your tickets today at raftersbaseball.com, by calling 715-424-5400 or visiting the Witter Field Ticket Office at 521 Lincoln St. in Wisconsin Rapids.
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The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods 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, 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com 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.
