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The Eau Claire Express had just gotten back home from a massive six-game road trip.
But rest was not there to greet them, and instead, it was the first-place Willmar Stingers, who ultimately walked away with a 5-3 victory over the Express Thursday night at Carson Park.
Three big errors led to runs for the Stingers, an uncharacteristic thing for a usually sure-handed Express ball club.
“You try and do too much, you’ll have miscues," utility man Lane Milligan said. "Nothing you can really do, you win some, you lose some.”
The shaky defense spoiled another great outing on the mound for Jeremy Bagnall, who went seven innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on just four hits and two strikeouts.
“Jeremy just keeps them off-balance," Field Manager Dale Varsho said. "He’s around the plate, mixes his pitches up well and keeps them off balance.”
But even trailing 5-1 headed into the bottom of the ninth, the Express put up a fight against the Willmar bullpen.
Jack Zoellner knocked in Tyler Hermann, who doubled to lead off the inning, on a single the other way to make it 5-2. A batter later, Mike Barajas recorded his second RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to score Tyler Jones, who scored two runs on his final night in Eau Claire.
With the winning run at the plate, Willmar closer Garrett Anderson got a strikeout to end the game, but not before Eau Claire showed a little battle.
“There’s a lot of fight in everyone we have, and nobody’s really scared to be that last guy up at the plate in clutch situations,” Milligan, who went 3-for-4 on the night, said.
Tomorrow, the Express will get catcher Daniel Salters and pitcher Cory Taylor from Dallas Baptist to get the roster near full. Varsho's team has stayed a float while waiting for guys, and he and the rest of the team are excited to begin making a run at things.
“I think we did really well," Varsho said. "We’re 10-7 and creeping on top of the board a little bit.”
The Express take on the Stingers again tomorrow night at Carson Park. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
