{"id":17747,"date":"2026-07-29T11:01:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T16:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/?p=17747"},"modified":"2026-07-29T11:01:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T16:01:44","slug":"rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By Luc Carter<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>WAUSAU, Wis. \u2014 The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters jumped ahead early, built a comfortable<br \/>\ncushion with timely hitting, and survived a late Wausau rally to secure an 8-5 victory over the<br \/>\nWoodchucks on Sunday afternoon at Athletic Park.<\/p>\n<p>The Rafters never trailed after striking first in the opening inning and used contributions<br \/>\nthroughout the lineup to collect 10 hits in the win. Wisconsin Rapids scored in five different<br \/>\ninnings, leaning on timely contact, aggressive baserunning, and a strong performance from its<br \/>\npitching staff to earn the victory.<\/p>\n<p>The tone was set immediately in the first inning.<\/p>\n<p>Designated hitter Nolan Stevens worked a leadoff walk and quickly moved around the bases<br \/>\nwhen Gunnar Dillard lined a double to right field. Stevens came around to score on Dillard\u2019s<br \/>\nextra-base hit, giving the Rafters an early 1-0 advantage.<\/p>\n<p>After Wausau tied the game in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from Sawyer Tolk, Wisconsin<br \/>\nRapids answered with one of its biggest rallies of the afternoon in the fourth. Quinn Falish started the inning with a walk, and Dillard and Aidan Thaxton followed with back-to-back singles to put pressure on the Woodchucks. After a sacrifice fly attempt nearly resulted<br \/>\nin a double play, Bennett Crerar delivered an RBI single to bring home Dillard. A throwing error<br \/>\non the play allowed another run to score, and Connor Harvie followed with an RBI double to<br \/>\nextend the Rafters\u2019 lead to 4-1.<\/p>\n<p>Rafters starter Spencer Webb tossed 3 innings just giving up 1 earned run on 2 hits and no walks.<br \/>\nA great start for Webb as he continues to return to form from injury.<\/p>\n<p>In the bottom of the 4th Brennan Baker took over on the mound and Wausau answered quickly<br \/>\nwhen Jackson Petsche launched a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning, but Wisconsin<br \/>\nRapids continued to add on.<\/p>\n<p>Falish drove in Stevens with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, giving the Rafters a 5-2 advantage.<br \/>\nThen, in the sixth, the offense broke the game open.<\/p>\n<p>Kedren Kinzie and Crerar started the inning with consecutive singles, and Harvie worked a walk<br \/>\nto load the bases. Esteban Olazaba delivered an RBI single, Stevens added a sacrifice fly, and an<br \/>\nerror on the Woodchucks allowed another run to cross the plate. By the end of the frame,<br \/>\nWisconsin Rapids had pushed its lead to 8-2.<\/p>\n<p>The Rafters\u2019 pitching staff kept Wausau from putting together a sustained rally for most of the<br \/>\nafternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Wausau continued to battle late, cutting into the deficit in the sixth before mounting its biggest<br \/>\nthreat in the eighth. The Woodchucks loaded the bases after a pair of singles, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. Peyton<br \/>\nFirgens brought home a run with a single, and Sawyer Tolk followed with a bases-loaded hit-by-<br \/>\npitch to make it an 8-5 game.<\/p>\n<p>But Wisconsin Rapids\u2019 bullpen held firm. Isaac Mitsdarffer entered with the bases loaded and<br \/>\nescaped further damage, keeping the Rafters ahead entering the ninth.<br \/>\nCasey Wambach then closed the door in the final inning. After allowing a leadoff walk,<br \/>\nWambach struck out Noah Malone, retired Max Soliz on a fly ball, and induced a groundout<br \/>\nfrom Lane Walton to secure his second save of the season.<\/p>\n<p>Dillard led the Rafters offensively, finishing 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.<br \/>\nCrerar added two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored, while Harvie contributed a double and an<br \/>\nRBI. Stevens reached base multiple times and scored twice while adding an RBI.<\/p>\n<p>This was the 4th time the Rafters have defeated the Woodchucks this season which is tied for the<br \/>\nmost with Madison for wins over the Woodchucks. An impressive win with both the offense and<br \/>\npitching showing up for Wisconsin Rapids.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Luc Carter WAUSAU, Wis. \u2014 The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters jumped ahead early, built a comfortable cushion with timely hitting,  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[775,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-stories","category-team-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.5 (Yoast SEO v26.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5 - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Luc Carter WAUSAU, Wis. \u2014 The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters jumped ahead early, built a comfortable cushion with timely hitting, [...]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Wisconsin Rapids Rafters\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-29T16:01:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin-wisconsin-rapids\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin-wisconsin-rapids\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/\",\"name\":\"Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5 - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-29T16:01:44+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#\/schema\/person\/0d30f20430fedd89f3e0aa8c7f0682bd\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/\",\"name\":\"Wisconsin Rapids Rafters\",\"description\":\"Where Our Community Comes Together\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#\/schema\/person\/0d30f20430fedd89f3e0aa8c7f0682bd\",\"name\":\"admin-wisconsin-rapids\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/119e41625e0a5b01f45cdcc305652a5f1892da2cb0af763b974d6d9448910337?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/119e41625e0a5b01f45cdcc305652a5f1892da2cb0af763b974d6d9448910337?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin-wisconsin-rapids\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/author\/admin-wisconsin-rapids\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5 - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5","og_description":"By Luc Carter WAUSAU, Wis. \u2014 The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters jumped ahead early, built a comfortable cushion with timely hitting, [...]","og_url":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/","og_site_name":"Wisconsin Rapids Rafters","article_published_time":"2026-07-29T16:01:44+00:00","author":"admin-wisconsin-rapids","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin-wisconsin-rapids"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/","url":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/","name":"Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5 - Wisconsin Rapids Rafters","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-07-29T16:01:44+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#\/schema\/person\/0d30f20430fedd89f3e0aa8c7f0682bd"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/2026\/07\/29\/rafters-build-early-lead-hold-off-late-push-to-take-down-woodchucks-8-5\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Rafters Build Early Lead, Hold Off Late Push to Take Down Woodchucks 8-5"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#website","url":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/","name":"Wisconsin Rapids Rafters","description":"Where Our Community Comes Together","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#\/schema\/person\/0d30f20430fedd89f3e0aa8c7f0682bd","name":"admin-wisconsin-rapids","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/119e41625e0a5b01f45cdcc305652a5f1892da2cb0af763b974d6d9448910337?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/119e41625e0a5b01f45cdcc305652a5f1892da2cb0af763b974d6d9448910337?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"admin-wisconsin-rapids"},"url":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/author\/admin-wisconsin-rapids\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17747","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17747"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17747\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17748,"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17747\/revisions\/17748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/wisconsin-rapids-rafters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}