For the City Times

ASHWAUBENON – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (13-11) split a doubleheader, on June 23, against the Green Bay Booyah (9-15), with an 11-0 win and 5-4 loss.

In game one, the Rafters scored in seven of nine innings. The first two innings saw RBI singles from Marco Castillo (Claremont McKenna) and Josh Nicoloff (Kansas State).

Though the Rafters highlight inning of the day came in the third. The Rafters had five hits to plate four runs. Ben Swords (Webster) and EJ Exposito (Long Island) both blasted hard line drives down the left-field line, Swords knocked in two runners, and Exposito scored Swords.

The fifth saw no Wisconsin Rapids runs but was the final inning for Rafters’ starter Wyatt Thompson (Chapman). In his Rafters debut, the right-hander struck out nine, allowed only two base runners and earned Northwoods League Pitcher of the Night honors.

The Rafters scored four in the final four innings. Exposito added a second RBI on a bases-loaded walk.

Billy Black (Columbia) pitched three innings, and totaled three strikeouts, while Daniel Frake retired the Booyah 1-2-3 in the ninth.

In game two, the Rafters again started strong. Marco Castillo and Hank Zeisler (Chapman) both reached base to begin the top of the second and were brought home by groundouts from Exposito and Jacob Hinderleider (Davidson).

The third led off with Josh Nicoloff, who blasted a ball over the high wall in right-center field. The Rafters would not score again until the eighth and have only one batter reach.

Matt Osterberg (St. Cloud State) took the ball in game two. He let only one base runner on in the first two frames. In the third, Dalton Pearson delivered an RBI single for Green Bay’s first run on the day.

After no hits in the fourth, Green Bay earned two infield singles in the fifth, and a two-run bloop single to left from Dayson Croes, knotted up the score.

A lead-off homer from Kaden Hollow gave the Booyah, a 4-3 lead. Matt Osterberg, was charged with the loss. An insurance run in the seventh put Green Bay up by two.

After five scoreless innings, Will Semb came out for a sixth inning, in the top of the eighth. Reeve Holley (Cal Baptist) and Nicoloff walked to begin things. Exposito brought home Holley on a sacrifice fly to center, but Nicoloff was left in scoring position, after an inning-ending strikeout, Semb’s eleventh total.

The Rafters were retired 1-2-3 in the ninth by Kyle Coates, who got the save.