Kalamazoo Growlers best the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters 12-8 in game one of double header.
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The Rafters fall to 13-15 on the season after 12-8 loss against the Kalamazoo Growlers who are now 21-8. Kalamazoo currently ranks second in the South Division Standings behind the Madison Mallards.
Both teams had a combined 25 hits, 16 recorded by Kalamazoo and nine from the cranberry and gold. Six of the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters recorded hits in the game, including multi-hit performances by Jordan Wiley (Kalamazoo College) who recorded two singles and Ty Duvall (Vanderbilt) with two singles and his first homerun as a Rafter.
The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters started off the game early with a two run bottom of the first after silencing the Growlers in the top of the inning. Rafter right fielder Brody Wofford (Central Florida) would score first after being walked, taking a base on a sacrifice bunt and scoring on an RBI single from Ty Duvall. Duvall would later score that inning after a stolen base and an RBI single from Steven Rivas (Long Beach State).
The Growlers would respond loudly in the second inning, scoring six runs off of five hits and one error. They would also add one in the third and three in the fourth.
Rafters would be silenced until the fifth inning, where a duo of singles from Payton Robertson (Louisiana State Shreveport) and Wiley, and a two-run home run from Duvall would plate three. Robertson would score on a wild pitch after advancing to third on the single and tagged up on a flyout.
Kalamazoo would record two more runs in the sixth inning off of a solo-shot home run and RBI single.
The Rafters added three runs in the bottom of the seventh to close the Kalamazoo lead to four. The inning started off with a single from second baseman Wiley. Wofford would then hit his third home run of the season to score two. Ethan Stringer (Louisville) followed with a double and came home on a single from Duvall.
Despite putting on two base runners due to walks in the ninth inning, the Rafters hopes of a rally were silenced by the Growlers on two lineouts and a flyout.
Chandler Brierly pitched two excellent innings of relief for the Rafters, sitting down six straight batters and recording three punchouts.
After the three hour and fourteen minute game, the win went to Growler Luke Boyd (2-1, 5.06 ERA) and the loss went to Rafter starter Jake Cook (1-3, 8.14 ERA).
The Rafters take on the Growlers again today in the second game of the day night double header. The first pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.
###
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.
