Wisconsin’s Bats Stay Hot, Timber Rattlers Top Kernels 8-4

Cedar Rapids, IA – Wisconsin scores six runs in the first two innings and never looks back to win its third straight over Cedar Rapids, 8-4.

After the extra-inning win yesterday, the Timber Rattlers' offense got on the board first Thursday night. Eric Brown Jr. led off the game with a double, and after a Robert Moore single, both scored on a two-out, two-run double by Darrien Miller to put Wisconsin ahead 2-0.

Cedar Rapids struck back in the bottom half of the first to even the contest at 2-2. Tanner Schobel led off with a single, and after Emmanuel Rodriguez replaced him on-base with a fielder’s choice, Kala’i Rosario blasted a two-run home run, his fourth of the homestand to tie the game at two apiece.

Wisconsin, however, untied the game and opened up the lead it would never relinquish in the top of the second. Three singles and a walk loaded the bases and pushed across a run to make it 3-2. With the bases full a ground out, a wild pitch and another ground out scored three more runs pushing the Timber Rattlers out ahead 6-2.

The Timber Rattlers added two more runs to the lead in the sixth inning to hop out to a six-run advantage. After a single and a double put runners on second and third, Brown Jr. notched his third of four hits on the night with a single up the middle, scoring both runners to make it 8-2.

The Kernels cut into the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning when the team hit its second two-run home run of the contest. With two outs in the inning, Andrew Cossetti was hit by a pitch, and the next batter Keoni Cavaco cracked his second home run of the season to make it 8-4 Wisconsin.

Cedar Rapids put runners on base in both the eighth and ninth innings but was never able to draw any closer in the 8-4 final.

The win is the third straight for Wisconsin (14-27) over Cedar Rapids (22-20) to begin the series, as the Kernels have now dropped four of their last five. Cedar Rapids tries to get back in the win column tomorrow at 6:35 when Marco Raya gets the start for the Kernels against Cameron Wagoner.