Rafters ride a nine-run eighth to a 15-11 victory
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. – Chalk it up as another huge comeback win for Wisconsin Rapids. This time it took a four-hour marathon at Witter Field, but the Rafters got it done.
They were down 6-3 in the sixth and tied it up with a three-run frame. Jack Mathey laced a two-run homer in his return to the lineup, and Greyson Shafer scored on an errant throw to third base with two outs.
And then in the bottom of the eighth, the dam completely broke.
With two runners on, Trotter Boston launched a go-ahead homer to give the Rafters a three-run lead. But the fun didn’t stop there. Owen McElfatrick roped an RBI single, then a few batters later Max McGwire crushed a grand slam to increase the lead to 14-6. Walker Buchanan would then go back-to-back with a solo shot.
“I just got the pitch I wanted… I was really excited that I was able to put the team up top and start a rally,” said Boston postgame. “We’re starting to put at-bats together… I’m just excited to keep playing the way we’re playing.”
Rafter’s bullpen arms Noah Rodriguez and Nick Perry would make things a bit more interesting by allowing five runs in the ninth, including ceding a grand slam by Cayden Wotipka, but Perry would seal the deal with a flyout.
Ricky Williams got the start for Wisconsin Rapids and allowed three earned runs in three innings pitched. Brandon Scott took the baton for 1.2 innings and gave up three, and Sidney Ferry cleaned things up with 2.1 scoreless frames. Kyle Bender carded an important scoreless eighth with the game tied at six as well.
Other standout performances on offense include Owen McElfatrick blasting his first homer as a Rafter, Greyson Shafer taking six walks, and Buchanan finishing 3-4 with the homer and five runs scored.
The win bumps Wisconsin Rapids up to 10-11, and with Lakeshore’s loss to Wausau the Rafters have leapfrogged them for third in the Great Lakes West standings.
The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 245 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.raftersbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rafters as your favorite team.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
