Rafters nearly complete comeback
For the City Times
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (21-21) split their weekend home series against the Green Bay Booyah (17-24), with a 4-3 loss on July 11.
Both teams in the first three innings had no hits and a combined three base runners.
The Booyah got a leadoff single in the fourth, and their second hit was a two-run home run to right field from Dayson Croes.
Green Bay added two more in the fifth, via a two-run double. It was preceded by a double down the third baseline that was called fair but elicited a conversation between field manager Kirk Shrider and the umpires. Rafters’ starter Wyatt Thompson (Chapman) exited after five innings, and four earned runs.
Wisconsin Rapids responded in the next two innings. The sixth inning saw back-to-back RBI singles from Sterling Hayes (Creighton) and Elijah Dickerson (Claremont McKenna). The seventh saw a sacrifice fly from Josh Nicoloff (Kansas State) to bring it to 4-3. Hayes and Nicoloff both gained their second RBI of the weekend.
The Booyah were kept hitless in the final four innings. Billy Black (Columbia) took the hill and delivered his longest outing of the season.
The Rafters went down 1-2-3 in the eighth. The last chance in the bottom of the ninth began with an Addie Burrow (Virginia) walk. After a flyout, McKinley Erves (La Grange) reached on a fielder’s choice, and Reeve Holley (Cal Baptist) then came in for Erves to run and stole second. With two outs, Nicoloff chopped a ball to third which was fielded, and ended with a rundown with Holley tagged for the final out.