WI RAPIDS (PRESS RELEASE)- The Wisconsin Woodchucks (15-10, 33-27) have played close games with the Wisconsin Rapids Rafter (7-21, 18-43) all season and Friday night was no exception as the Woodchucks won 8-7. The game included 6 lead changes and was tight the whole way.
Kevin Pillar started the game off with a charge for the Woodchucks when he took the first pitch of the game from Rafter starter Jesse Arreola (3-4) deep to left field for his second dinger of the season and a 1-0 ‘Chucks lead. The Rafters came back with two RBI doubles in the 2nd against starter Nick Capito (5-0) and took the lead back 2-1. Pat Terry then grabbed 2 of his 3 RBIs on a 2 run homer in the 3rd that gave the Woodchucks the lead back 3-2. The Rafters got a two-out basehit from Brad Hallberg in the 4th to retake the lead 4-3.
Capito left in the 5th for Ryan Iverson (1-0), who escaped the inning with no damage, and kept the game 4-3 until the Woodchucks came to bat in the 7th. The Woodchucks loaded the base without a ball out of the infield en route to scoring 5 runs in the frame for an 8-4 lead. That was the 6th and final lead change of the game.
Iverson and Cory Hall gave up a run each in the 7th to cut the lead to 8-6, but Anthony Drobnick entered in the 8th with 2 runs on and no outs and escaped the inning with no damage. Drobnick allowed a run in the 9th, but stranded the tying run on 3rd base to hold on to the 8-7 win and earn his 5th save of the season. The win preserved for Iverson was his first in the Northwoods League this season.
The rubber game of this 3 game series at Witter Field is Saturday night. Brock Stassi is scheduled to pitch for the Woodchucks against Dan Johnson of the Rafters. First pitch is at 7:05 and the game can be heard on Fox Sports 1390 AM.
Courtesy: Wisconsin Woodchucks
