CWS Sports Desk
June 29, 2012
Mequon– The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters won for the first time in over a week Friday, toppling the Lakeshore Chinooks 7-5 at Kapco Park in Mequon. Coming from behind twice, the Rafters beat Lakeshore for the first time in four tries.
The Rafters jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when Pat Kelly (FR, Univ. of Nebraska) on a two-run single in the first. Lakeshore though would come back. A run in the second and three in the fourth, three of them scored on two Bre Kimball homers gave, the Chinooks a 4-2 lead. It would be one of five combined ties and lead changes in the game.
Kyle Wormington (JR, Valparaiso Univ.) battled through six innings for the Rafters. He mixed pitches well once again and kept most of the Chinooks off balance. If it weren’t for Kimball, who went 3-for-3 with two homers and a double against the starter, Wormington would have given up only two hits and might not have given up an earned run. The righty gave up five runs, four earned, on five hits and a couple walks. He finished his night right before the Rafters took their final lead to put him on-line for his first win.
Down 5-4, Wisconsin Rapids took a lead in the 7th when Pat Kelly tripled in a run and then scored on a passed ball. Austin Neary (FR, Western Carolina Univ.) hit his second homer in two days to give the Rafters a 7-5 lead in the ninth.
Seth Fuller (FR, Western Illinois Univ.), who came on for Wormington, fired three hitless innings. He walked a batter and hit one but was otherwise perfect. Fuller snagged his fourth save to give Wormington (1-2) his first win of the year. Reliever Ryan Harris, in his Chinooks’ debut, took the loss.
The Rafters (14-15) head back to Kapco Park Saturday to take on the Chinooks (14-16) for the final time in the first half. Cole Webb (JR, Valparaiso Univ.) makes his first start in nearly two weeks to try and win the three-game series for Wisconsin Rapids. The right-hander leads the rotation in ERA (1.48).
