Rafters Drop Doubleheader Games Against Woodchucks
For the City Times
WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Late inning offense gave the Wisconsin Woodchucks (7-13) a 9-3 win against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (17-3) in game one of a double-header on Tuesday from Athletic Park.
This is the second time this season the Woodchucks have beaten the Rafters.
Wisconsin jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a Nolan Ryan sacrifice fly in the second off Rafters starter Quinn DiPasquale (2-1). The led did not last long for the Woodchucks as Ryan Stekl drove a two-run single in the third inning to put the Rafters on the board with a lead for the first time in the game.
After the two runs for the Rafters, Woodchucks starter Korey Rasure (1-1) settled in, tossing six innings of two-run baseball, not giving up a run after the third.
The lead changed hands again in the sixth inning as the Woodchucks chases DiPasquale. Tristian Clarke led off with a double and scored on a Stevie Mangrum single to tie the game 2-2. With the bases loaded, Ivan Nunez was hit by a pitch, giving the Woodchucks the lead back. Andrew Smith bounced into a fielder’s choice off Rafters reliever Trey Schramm, while Jordan Santos brought in Dalton Reed on an RBI single. The Woodchucks led 5-2 after six.
In the next frame, Nick Owens led off with a walk for the Rafters. Wyatt Mascarella singled to put runners at first and second for Charlie McConnell. The lefty drove a ball to deep right-center, scoring one to pull the Rafters within 5-3. But the Wisconsin continued the late-inning bats in the bottom half of the inning.
Milton Rivera led off with a single with Clarke drew a walk. Mangrum drove a single to left, scoring Rivera and extending the Woodchucks lead. Reed doubled to left to score two runs, and Ryan singled to right to bring in Reed to give the Woodchucks a 9-3 lead. The bullpen shut the door, not giving up a run in the final two innings.
Rasure earns the win for the first time this year, while DiPasquale is tagged with his first loss of the summer. Bryson Stott finished with a 2-4 day for the Rafters with two singles.
Rafters Drop Second Game of Double-Header on Tuesday
An Aaron Soucy home-run is the difference in 6-4 Woodchuck victory
After a 9-3 loss in Wausau Tuesday morning, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (17-4) dropped the second half of the double-dip to the Wisconsin Woodchucks (8-13), 6-4 on Tuesday at Witter Field.
The Rafters jumped out to a 3-0 lead and led 4-2 into the sixth, but the swing of Aaron Soucy took the Woodchucks from down two to up one and the bullpen for the Woodchucks closed the door. Bryson Stott drove in two runs for the Rafters who lose their second straight game at Witter Field.
The Rafters took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a back-to-back RBI hits from Jake Guenther and Sean Sutton. Guenther doubled to center to score Stott from second base. Sutton, starting his first game in a Rafters uniform, tallied his first hit and first RBI on the season on a single back up the middle.
Wisconsin Rapids added another run in the third when Nick Anderson doubled and scored on a Stott fielder’s choice. After a stellar first inning from Woodchuck starter Heath Hawkins, the Rafters tallied seven hits to end Hawkins’ day after just three innings.
Wisconsin rallied for two runs in the fifth to cut the Rafters lead to 3-2. The bat of Andrew Smith closed the gap, singling down the right field line to score two. Soucy and Nolan Ryan crossed home to put the Woodchucks on the board.
Stott drove in Nick Anderson for the second time on the evening in the fifth to build the Rafters lead to 4-2. Anderson drew a one-out walk and stole second base to set the stage for Stott, who drove a 2-2 pitch to right-center.
The Woodchucks took their first lead of the evening in the sixth. On one swing, right-handed Soucy blasted a ball over the fence in left-center field, good for a three-run home-run. Soucy’s first home run of the year gave the Woodchucks a 5-4 lead. Wisconsin added an unearned run in the eighth and the bullpen closed the door on Wisconsin Rapids for the 6-4 win.
The Rafters will travel to Green Bay tomorrow to open a home and home series with the Bullfrogs. The teams will meet at Joannes Stadium in Green Bay for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch before travelling back to Witter for a Thursday match up. Thursday marks ’70s Night at Witter with special appearance by Jimmie Walker, “Dyn-o-mite Kid” J.J. Evans from the 1970s CBS TV Series Good Times, with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.