Wisconsin Scores Nine Late Runs, Bests Cedar Rapids 13-5

Cedar Rapids, IA - Wisconsin used a grand slam and a seven-run ninth inning to take game three of the series against Cedar Rapids, 13-5, Thursday night.

After grabbing a 3-0 lead in the win on Wednesday, the Kernels jumped out to a three-run lead again on Thursday. To begin the second, Gabriel Gonzalez hit a single into left field. One batter later, Khadim Diaw was hit by a pitch. With one out, Nate Baez grounded a single into center field, plating both runners to put Cedar Rapids on top 2-0. Two batters later, Caden Kendle got a two-out single to bring up Kaelen Culpepper, who roped an RBI base hit to make it 3-0.

In the top of the third, the Timber Rattlers responded. Three consecutive one-out singles loaded the bases for Matt Wood, who crushed a grand slam to lift Wisconsin on top 4-3.

In the home half of the frame, the Kernels evened things up. Back-to-back singles from Billy Amick and Gonzalez opened the inning. Two batters later, Danny De Andrade lined a single into center field for an RBI to tie the game at 4-4.

That stayed the score until the top of the eighth inning. To begin the frame, Juan Baez knocked a base hit and moved up to second on a Daniel Guilarte walk. The next batter, Yhoswar Garcia, then drove home Baez with an RBI single to make it 5-4 Timber Rattlers. Eduardo Garcia then plated an insurance run with an RBI base hit to make it 6-4 Wisconsin.

In the top of the ninth, the Timber Rattlers blew it wide open. Wisconsin sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning and scored seven runs to open up a 13-4 lead.

The Kernels got one run back in the bottom of the ninth on a Billy Amick bases-loaded walk, but that would be all in the 13-5 loss.

The defeat drops the Kernels to 11-6 on the season and 2-1 on the homestand. Game four of the series is set for Friday at 6:35. Alejandro Hidalgo gets the start for Cedar Rapids opposite Bishop Leston.