CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The Wisconsin offense struck for 15 runs on 14 hits Saturday night, handing the Kernels their largest loss of the season, 15-3.
After leading wire-to-wire in a shutout win on Friday, the Timber Rattlers opened the scoring again on Saturday. With two outs in the top of the first inning, a hit-by-pitch and a pair of walks loaded the bases. With the bases full, Luiyin Alastre plated a run on an infield single, and on the play, a two-base throwing error cleared the bases and put Wisconsin in front 3-0.
The Kernels responded right away. With one out in the bottom of the first inning, JP Smith II launched a solo home run to cut the deficit to 3-1.
In the bottom of the third, the Kernels got within one. Quinn McDaniel walked to lead off the inning, and after a balk moved him to second, he stole third, and after the throw down went into left field, he came in to score to make it 3-2.
But that was the closest Cedar Rapids would get. In the top of the fifth, the Timber Rattlers sent nine batters to the plate and rallied for five runs behind two-run singles from both Luis Castillo and Juan Baez to put Wisconsin in front 8-2.
In the sixth, Eric Bitonti lifted a solo home run to right to push the Wisconsin lead to 9-2.
Bitonti struck again in the top of the seventh. A pair of hits put two runners on before he connected on his second home run in as many innings, a three-run shot to right to push the advantage to 12-2.
Cedar Rapids got back on the board in the bottom of the eighth. Back-to-back doubles from Yasser Mercedes and Jose Salas combined to score a run and make it 12-3.
In the top of the ninth, Daniel Dickinson capped off the Timber Rattlers' big offensive night. With two on and no one out, Dickinson struck a three-run home run to center field to increase the Wisconsin advantage to 15-3, the score that would be the final.
The Kernels fall to 44-67 with the loss and to 3-2 in the series against Wisconsin. Cedar Rapids goes for the series win Sunday at 1:05. Kolten Smith gets the start opposite Jayden Dubanewicz.