Eau Claire, Wis.— The Express suffered their first loss in seven games in a 7-3 defeat at the hands of the Mankato MoonDogs, the last team to beat the Express a week ago. Eau Claire jumped out to an early lead, but Mankato starter Nate Jones cooled the Express bats, giving the dangerous Moondogs’ offense a chance to take the lead, which they seized in the fifth inning and maintained through the ninth.
Express starter, Austin Schulfer, continued his strong season of pitching with a 1-2-3 top of the first on just eight pitches. Schulfer allowed a lead off double to Marcus Pingleton in the second inning, but stranded him on third base after two strikeouts and a ground out to hold the MoonDogs scoreless.
The Express got on the board in the top of the first inning, with a lead off single from Ben Mezzenga. Daulton Varsho reached base on a fielder’s choice, and would successfully steal second base on the first pitch of Tyler Jones’s at bat. The throw went to second base, and Mezzenga alertly took off and stole home to give the Express a 1-0 lead. Austin Guzzo added a second run in the inning, driving home Varsho from third base on an RBI single that bounced past the outstretched arm of the MoonDogs’ second baseman.
Schulfer allowed just his first run this season on a weak ground ball that scored Mankato catcher, Alex Tucker, who rounded the bases after a lead off walk. A weak grounder off the bat of David Metzgar died in the Carson Park infield, and Metzgar’s speed beat out the throw to first, bringing the MoonDogs within one run halfway through the second inning.
The MoonDogs threatened in the top of the fourth after lead off hitter, Pingleton, was hit by a pitch. However, Varsho gunned Pingleton attempting to steal second, and Schulfer tallied a strikeout and a pop out to end the half inning unharmed.
Mankato took the lead in the top of the fifth, punishing Schulfer for two walks early in the inning. Jordan Kozicky drew a lead off walk on a full count, and eventually scored on a two-out bunt laid perfectly down the third base line by Metzgar, his second RBI of the night. The next batter, Jordan Washam, grounded a single up the middle, scoring Jake Shepski from second base to give the MoonDogs a 3-2 lead in the fifth.
Kozicky would continue to hurt the Express, hitting a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning off of right handed reliever, Johnathon Tripp, to give the MoonDogs a 5-2 lead. Mankato would score another three runs on Tripp in the seventh on an RBI double by designated hitter, Chase Hamilton, an RBI single by pinch hitter Alvaro Rubalcaba, and a moment of confusion between Tripp, Varsho, and Rudy Rott on first base that allowed Hamilton to score.
The Express loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the eighth, looking to mount a rally and overcome the five run deficit. Guzzo hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Zach Ashford, who reached on a lead off single. However, Ashford would be the only runner to cross the plate for Eau Claire in the inning, after reliever Brian Gadsby turned a clutch double play to end the inning. The Express were unable to produce a run in the ninth, dropping the 7-3 game.
Guzzo was the bright spot offensively for the Express, tallying two RBI’s. Mezzenga scored his 16th run in nine games on a stolen base. Nate Jones was dominant on the hill for Mankato, allowing just two runs on three hits, with zero runs allowed after the first inning.
The Express will take on the MoonDogs in a rematch tomorrow evening at Carson Park, looking to rebound after the team’s first loss in six games. Brody Rodning will take the mound in his fourth start attempting to limit the capable MoonDogs’ batters and restart Eau Claire on a new winning streak. First pitch in tomorrow’s rematch at Carson Park is at 5:05p.m.
Season tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now for Express home games. All tickets can be purchased by calling the Express office at 715-839-7788 or by stopping at the downtown office at 102 E. Grand Ave.
The Eau Claire Express are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 23rd season of summer collegiate baseball in 2016, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 150 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (CHC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League Website. For more information, visit www.eauclaireexpress.com.