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.
Felix Cardenas (Texas Permian Basin) guided the Express to a 2010 NWL Championship. The 6'1'' lefty used an assortment of pitches to keep the Honkers off balance and only allowed five hits through 7.0 scoreless innings. The Honkers came into the game scoring 11 runs last night, but Cardenas struck out three and let his error-free defense make plays behind him. Cardenas earns his 6th win of the season and 1st in the Playoffs.
Steve McGuiggan (Illinois-Chicago) blasted two home runs Sunday afternoon to lead the Eau Claire Express to a 2010 NWL Championship. McGuiggan, an Apple Valley, MN native, hit two-run home runs in the 3rd and 5th inning to give Eau Claire a 4-0 lead. The 5'11'' righty finished the afternoon 3-for-4 with two runs scored and four RBI. The center fielder for Eau Claire also threw out Andrew Mendenhall (Oregon) in the top of the 5th as he was trying to score the Honkers 1st run of the game.
The Eau Claire Express are the 2010 Northwoods League Champions! The Express used a clutch performance from hot-hitting Steve McGuiggan (Illinois-Chicago) and left handed pitcher Felix Cardenas (Texas Permian Basin). McGuiggan, a speedy center fielder, was 3-for-4 on the afternoon with four RBI. Cardenas earned the win thanks to a five-hitter thru 7.0 scoreless innings.
Phil Haig (Florida International) was dominant Saturday night for the Rochester Honkers as he threw a four hitter. Haig went 7.0 innings for the Honkers while only walking one batter. The 6’3’’ 205-pound pitcher shut down an Express offense that had scored six runs the night before. The win is the 3rd of the season for Haig in 11 appearances.
Chris Elder (Oral Roberts) was at it again for the Rochester Honkers as he drove in three runs to propel the Honkers into a decisive game three in the Summer Collegiate World Series. Elder only had one hit on the night, but made it count as he blasted a three-run homer in the 4th inning. The left handed hitting Elder scored three runs on the night, drove in three and walked three times.
