For the City Times

Wisconsin Rapids Will Begin Season At Home Against Kenosha

The defending Northwoods League Champion Wisconsin Rapids Rafters will open their seventh season at home against the Kenosha Kingfish on Tuesday, May 30. The Northwoods League released its complete schedule today for the 2017 season. The 24th season will feature 20 teams, with the additions of the Fond Du Lac Dock Spiders and Bismarck Larks, an All-Star Game, a Major League Dreams Showcase and 72 regular season games.

The Northwoods League, which plays two halves to determine playoff participants similar to most professional minor leagues, will end the first half of play on July 4th with the second half beginning on July 5th.  Four teams from both the North and South divisions will meet in the Divisional Playoff Series on August 14-15. The North and South Division Champions will then meet in a best-of-three series for the Summer Collegiate World Series from August 16-18.

The 2017 Northwoods League All-Star Game will be held in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Highlights of the 2017 Rafters schedule include:

• A wide assortment of dates to choose from: The Rafters will play five games on Mondays; six games on Tuesdays; seven games on Wednesday; four games on Thursdays; two games on Fridays; seven games on Saturdays; and five games on Sundays.

• The Rafters final home game of the regular season will be Sunday, August 13 against the Lakeshore Chinooks for the always popular “Fan Appreciation Night”. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05pm.

• The Rafters and rival Wisconsin Woodchucks will participate in two home-road, day-night doubleheaders on June 20, and July 26. Wisconsin Rapids travels to Wausau for an 11:35 start in game one on June 20, before returning home to Witter Field for the night cap at 7:05 the same day. On Wednesday, July 26, the Rafters host the Woodchucks for afternoon baseball with a 12:05 scheduled start time before heading on the road for the night game at Athletic Park.

• The Major League Dreams Showcase event, featuring the top 100 prospects in the Northwoods League as chosen by a panel of major league scouts will return to Warner Park in Madison, WI for the fifth consecutive year on August 8. The first game will begin at 4:05 pm, with game two set for 7:35 pm.

Founders Club Season Tickets, all-you-can-eat 9-Game Packages, and Group Tickets are on sale NOW. There will be three 9-game packages to choose from in 2017, and the dates for those packages will be released soon. Please call the Rafters Front Office at 715-424-5400 for additional information.

Single game ticket prices for the 2017 season will be $9 for a reserved bleacher seat, $8 for standing room only tickets and will go on sale Friday, April 21st of next year. The full promotional schedule for the 2017 Rafters season will be released in the Spring as well.

If you’re still looking for a gift for the holidays, make sure to stop into the Rafters office at Witter Field.  Ticket packages, merchandise and gift cards are all available.

For more information, please visit raftersbaseball.com