The Willmar Stingers announced today that Matt Hollod will return as Field Manager for the 2011 season. Hollod managed the Stingers to a 39 – 31 record falling short by a .006 winning percentage from making the playoffs in their 2010 Inaugural season. The Stingers finished second overall in the North Division and tied for the fifth best record of sixteen teams in the Northwoods League.
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters officials announced today that field manager Scott Laverty will return in 2011 for a second season at the helm. Laverty has been the head coach at the University of Redlands since June of 1999. In his time with Redlands he has helped the Bulldogs climb to the top of the conference. He led the Bulldogs to a conference championship in 2006 and recorded his 200th win with the club on March 22nd, 2009.
The New York Mets called up former Brainerd Blue Thunder pitcher Dillon Gee to start Tuesday night. Gee faces the Washington Nationals as he replaces Mets ace Johan Santana who is sidelined with a pectoral sprain. The promotion of the 21st round pick from the 2007 Draft is partially due to Santana’s injury, but more to do with his outstanding numbers in Triple-A.
Dillon Gee did exactly what New York Mets Manager Jerry Manuel wanted and more. Gee, a former 21st round pick by the Mets, was called up to start in place of injured Johan Santana by Manuel and shined in the spot start. The 6’1’’ righty took a no-hitter into the 6th inning and eventually threw a two-hitter to earn a win in his 1st Major League debut.
Former Northwoods star Lucas Duda was put into the starting lineup by Jerry Manuel of the New York Mets Wednesday night. Duda, a 7th round pick of the Mets in 2007, started in left field against the National League East leading Atlanta Braves.
LA CROSSE, WI – The La Crosse Loggers Baseball Club announced that a fire was started at Copeland Park Sunday, August 29th completely destroying the third base dugout and a large portion of the third base grandstand. The cause of the fire is unknown as investigators have been working throughout the morning to uncover the cause.
The Willmar Stingers of the Northwoods League and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans presented a check totaling $3,465 to the Willmar Area Food Shelf on Friday, August 27. The Stingers and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans partnered to bring "Shirts off our Backs Night" to the ballpark on Monday, August 9th. The promotion gave fans an opportunity to bid on the players jerseys with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the Willmar Area Food Shelf. A total of three coaches and thirty players’ uniforms were bid on and awarded to fans that evening.
A successful 2010 Northwoods Collegiate Baseball season wrapped up this past Sunday at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The hometown Express beat the Rochester Honkers in a three-game series to take the 2010 Northwoods title. Although the season is over, the NWL is still benefiting from a successful 2010 campaign. The nation’s premier summer baseball league placed 11 teams in the top-50 in per game attendance and broke the league’s all-time attendance record.
We tragically lost a part of our baseball family, Mitch Caster (Wichita State), to a car accident early Monday (8/23/2010) morning. We have set up a page in honor of Mitch so that we can keep you all updated on the arrangements as we receive them. Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, concerned calls and heartfelt messages.
The Northwoods League was very saddened to hear of the early Monday morning death of Rochester Honkers pitcher Mitch Caster of Wichita State University. Caster was driving home to Kansas when he lost control of his sport utility vehicle on Interstate 35 near Des Moines, Iowa. Caster’s vehicle struck an oncoming semi after crossing the median into the northbound lane. The accident occurred just after midnight.
