For the City Times

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – After winning the Great Lakes West Division second-half championship, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters (0-1) dropped game one of a best-of-three playoff series on Aug. 12 against the Madison Mallards (1-0), by a final of 9-2.

Madison struck first in the top of the third, but Richie Schiekofer notched an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to tie the game 1-1. Wisconsin Rapids got a strong five-inning performance by Cal Djuraskovic, who gave up just one run on six hits.

The Rafters defense took a 1-1 tie into the seventh inning where the Mallard bats came to life and posted eight runs. Roman Trujillo got an RBI groundout in the eighth to pull the Rafters within seven, but Madison held on to win.

Hayden Petrovick gets the loss in relief and Madison’s Quinn Gudaitis earns the win with seven innings as the starter. Wisconsin Rapids now travels to Madison for game two of the series at the Duck Pond. Game three, if necessary, would be back at Historic Witter Field on Aug. 14.