Eau Claire, WI- In another one-run loss, the Express dropped to 4-10 on the year after falling 2-1 to the Willmar Stingers (9-6) in part one of a day-night double header.
Tuesday’s defeat marked the team’s fifth consecutive loss, placing them right alongside the La Crosse Loggers in a tie for last place in the North Division.
Starting the night on the hill for Eau Claire was Lane Ramsey (0-1), whom lasted six innings and surrendered two earned runs in his second appearance with the team. The Oklahoma right-hander pitched well, giving the Express offense plenty of opportunity to pull ahead. However, the bats would muster just one run on five hits, nailing Ramsey with his first loss of the season.
With Eau Claire trailing 2-0 in the ninth, Nic Ready drove in Zach Ashford on an RBI single, but was thrown out trying to advance to second base. Robby Campillo followed that up by striking out to end the game as the Stingers handed the Express their fifth straight loss.
The back end of today’s day-night double header with start at 7:05 PM, with Ethan Nichols (0-1) getting the nod on the bump for Eau Claire. The lefty out of the Air Force Academy has yet to allow an earned run in 11 innings pitched for the Express this season, as he’ll try to break this recent skid the team has found themselves in.
The Eau Claire Express are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 23-year-old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 20 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 170 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champion Ben Zobrist (CHC) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM) and Lucas Duda (NYM). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.eauclaireexpress.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Express as your favorite team.