Rafters win Northwoods League World Series

The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters are Northwoods League champions.

The team ended its remarkable season with a bang, defeating the Eau Claire Express 11-4 to win the best-of-three Summer Collegiate World Series in Game 2. The Rafters won Game 1 Thursday in Wisconsin Rapids with a walk-off homer that made SportsCenter's highlight reel.

The Rafters own both the first and second titles and won two divisional playoff games to reach the championship series. The team also had a 53-23 record, while Eau Claire, appearing in its fourth championship series, finished 48-28.

There was no need for such dramatics on Friday. After trading runs with the Express in the third inning and going up by one in the fifth, the Rafters surged ahead with six runs in the top of the sixth inning.

In the big sixth inning, the Rafters scored six runs on five hits, Jake Lumley and Rob Calabrese hit RBI doubles, while Andrew Turner and Joe Wainhouse had RBI singles to drive in the runs. Wainhouse and Turner both drove in two runs each with their hits.

The Rafters tacked on one run in each of the seventh and eighth innings to cap the scoring. Wainhouse hit a leadoff solo home run in the eighth to finish with four RBI.

Calabrese went 3-for-4 with four RBI, while Ritchie Palacios and Lumley also had two hits.

Starting pitcher Jake Repavich got the win on the hill, striking out one and walking one in 5 2/3 innings of work. Jay Peters came on in relief to finish the game.

Ryan Zimmerman took the loss, striking out four batters, walking three and giving up three runs.

Kyle Marinconz led the Express at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double. Daulton Varsho and Cody Bohanek both hit doubles.

RELATED: Rafters' home run makes SportCenter Top 10

This year marked the first time in franchise history that the Rafters, founded in 2010, had ever advanced to postseason play. It was Eau Claire's fourth championship series appearance; Eau Claire also claimed the NWL title in 2010. The Express had not been back in the playoffs since the championship season.