By Jacob Heid

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters picked up their 50th win of the 2022 Northwoods League season versus the Kokomo Jackrabbits. After an intense 11-inning win on Monday, Rapids closed out the Jackrabbits again on Aug 3 in a 6-3 win at Witter Field. Wisconsin Rapids is also two wins away from tying its own record for most wins in a season, which is 52, broken in 2017 and tied by the Traverse City Pit Spitters in 2019.

Wednesday night became another dogfight at Witter Field. The first inning was a quiet one offensively for both teams. Ethan Peters, his first game with the Rafters, took out the Jackrabbits in order in the top of the first. Dawson Holbrook came in to pitch in the top of the second, retiring Kokomo in order once again.

The offense began in the bottom of the second when Chase Call and Garrett Broussard drove in a run a piece to give the Rafters a 2-0 lead. Rapids struck again in the home half of the third. Brendan Bobo drove in a run via an RBI single.

The bullpen continued to pitch for the Rafters in the fourth. Nick Torres gave up a run in his first inning of work, with the Rafters still leading 3-1. The Rats scored once more in the bottom of the fourth, extending the lead back to three. 

Torres stayed in the game for the next four innings, surrendering two runs in the top of the sixth, cutting the lead to one, 4-3. He finished the night retiring the Jackrabbits without any runs in the seventh and eighth.

The Rafters stretched the lead out in the bottom of the eighth. Broussard picked up his second and third RBIs of the game off of a two-run homer, giving Rapids a 6-3 lead. That would be the final of the game.

The Rafters can tie the record for most wins by Friday at the earliest. Brendan Bobo (17) is also five home runs away from the home run record of 22, set by Zach Zubia in 2017. Wisconsin Rapids has 10 games left in the regular season.