For the City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The first-place Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (15-8) posted a strong offensive performance in a 15-10 victory over the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders (11-12) on July 27.

The Rafters trailed 1-0 in the first inning, but tied the game when Richie Schiekofer scored on a wild pitch in the opening frame. The Rafters opened the floodgates in the second inning, starting with Noah Thigpen’s first Rafters RBI.

Schiekofer and Jaylen Guy each drove in runs with singles and the Rafters executed a successful double steal to build a 6-1 lead heading to the third inning. In the fourth, Guy collected another RBI and scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. Jake Dunham hit a three-run bomb to left field to put the Rafters up 11-1.

Harry Fullerton and Roman Trujillo both notched RBI singles in the sixth inning to pad the Rafters lead and make it 13-1. Fond du Lac threatened with a nine-run eighth inning to make it 13-10 Rafters.

However, the Rafters took the momentum right back when Trujillo put an exclamation point on the evening with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. Brayden Bonner closed out the game, allowing no hits in the ninth to get the save.

Neil Abbatiello struck out two batters in three innings as the starter for Rapids. Cody Turner is credited with the win, striking out seven batters over four shutout innings in relief. Fond du Lac starter Houston Glad gets the loss.