For the Rapids City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (13-13) dropped the first game of a two-game series to Madison by a final 10-3. It was a close game in the first handful of innings. Madison drew first blood in the second. A wild pitch allowed Trevor Schwecke to score from third. The Rafters would respond a half inning later. With runners at the corners, a balk was called on Madison starter Justin Watland and Jack-Thomas Wold (UNLV) strolled home from third. Tied up at one in the fifth, the Mallards scored one from an RBI single from Tyler Plantier and one more in the sixth on a fielder’s choice hit into by Drew Campbell

The Rafters let it slip away in the seventh, allowing the Mallards to score six times on three hits. A three-run double from Mike Aiello did the most damage and Madison took a 9-1 lead to the eighth. Tyler Plantier hit a home run to left in the eighth frame for the tenth and final run for Madison. The cranberry and gold put up a fight in their part of the eighth with an RBI groundout from Jordan Wiley (Kalamazoo College) and an RBI single from Brody Wofford (UCF) to make it 10-3.

Justin Watland (2-0, 2.63 ERA) earned the win by throwing seven innings of one-ball and fanning eight. Trayson Kubo (3-1, 0.96 ERA) was handed the tough-luck loss. Kubo tossed five innings, allowed only two runs and had six strikeouts.