For the City Times

Wisconsin Rapids scores franchise record nine runs in the eighth inning to win by 12

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – It was another history making night for Wisconsin Rapids in Lakeshore, winning 17-5 at Kapco Park Sunday night to improve to 5-1 on the season.

For the first time in franchise history, the Rafters start the season with a 5-1 record after blasting 16 hits in the final game of the series against the Chinooks (3-3). The hits poured in from the first inning for the Rafters. Bryson Stott drilled a double to left and Ryan Stekl drove a liner through the shortstop and third basemen to give Wisconsin Rapids a 1-0 lead after one. Lakeshore countered in the inning with a Zach Biermann home-run, his league-leading fourth of the season.

The tie did not last long as Scott Kapers doubled to left to drive in Jake Guenther, who singled to start the inning. The Chinooks came out swinging in the third inning when Royce Ando singled inning Connor Kimple. Jacob Richardson and Justin Bardwell each drove in a run to give Lakeshore a 4-2 lead after three frames.

Wisconsin Rapids then fought back to tie things up in the top of the fourth when Christian Jones singled to begin the inning and scored on a Matt Schmidt double. Nick Anderson hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Schmidt and tie the game after four.

The big offensive innings then started for the Rafters. In the top of the sixth, Guenther doubled to start the four-run inning. He advanced to third and then scored on a wild pitch to give the Rafters a 5-4 lead. Kapers walked and Stott hit a sacrifice fly to extend the margin. Stekl and Jones drove back-to-back base knocks, with Jones’ hit a double driving in Dustin Woodcock to cap off the four-run inning and 8-4 advantage.

Things only picked up for the Rafters in the top of the eighth inning when Stott smacked his second double of the game to spark a run of eight straight batters reaching base safely. Shaq Robinson drove in Stott on a single, while Josh Rehwaldt laced a two RBI single up the middle to give the Rafters an 11-4 lead.

Kapers delivered another base hit, this time a single to drive in two runs. Woodcock roped a double with the bases loaded to drive in two more to set up Robinson’s single to bring in Woodcock as the ninth run of the inning. The Rafters also scored a run off of a Lakeshore error to put the final tally in the inning at nine runs, a franchise record for runs in a single inning.

Tevita Gerber started for the Rafters, pitching four innings and striking out three. Shane Smith for the Chinooks started, lasting four innings and giving up four earned runs. Brenden Heiss (0-1) picks up the loss for Lakeshore after entering in the fifth and giving up two runs and three walks.

 Mason McReaken (1-0) earns his first win of the summer, tossing three innings and striking out five batters. One unearned run came into score while the reliever was in the game. Koby Bishop pitched the final two innings for the Rafters, finishing with four punch-outs.

 Wisconsin Rapids heads home Monday to host the Wisconsin Woodchucks. Gates open at 6:00 pm for a 7:05 pm first pitch. Coverage on WFHR 1320 AM starts at 6:50 pm on the Rafters Radio Network.