Wisconsin Rapids walked it off in the tenth for their second walk-off in four days.
Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafter (27-30, 12-10 2nd half) walked it off in the tenth on the Rockford Rivets (24-33, 6-17 2nd half) 6-5. Matt Schmidt (Michigan) delivered the walk-off base hit with the bases loaded in the tenth. It is the Rafters’ third walk-off win of 2018.
The Rivets scored the first run of the game off a solo home run from Ryan Cole. The cranberry and gold answered with a grand slam from Bret Fehr (SIU Edwardsville) and an RBI base hit from Alex-Fedje Johnson (Davidson). With a 5-1 lead after two, the Rafters had to deal with a Rivets comeback. Rockford tied the game by scoring four runs between the fourth and sixth innings. An RBI groundout scored one in the fourth for Rockford. Two runs came in in the fifth from an RBI double by Cade Bunnell and base hit off the bat of Parker Kelly. The Rivets tied it at five with a Zach Sehgal single in the sixth.
Extra innings were needed to decide the game. In the bottom of the tenth, the Rafters loaded the bases on Tanner Propst and Matt Schmidt then came in as a pinch hitter and drove one to left for the walk-off win. Dustin Woodcock (SIU Edwardsville) scored the winning run from third. In his first game with the Rafters since the 2017 postseason, Woodcock went 2-for-3 with two base hits, two runs scored and two walks.
Hunter Robichaux (1-1, 2.87 ERA) gets the win, his second of the year. The loss goes to Tanner Propst who allowed the walk-off hit. It is his second loss of the year.
The Rafters will embark on a five-day, six-game road trip starting tomorrow at Rockford. First pitch from Rivets Stadium is set for 6:35 pm CT.
###
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.
