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In 2017 at Minnesota-Duluth, Dietrich was 3-2 in 12 appearances with nine of them being starts. He had a 2.80 ERA and had 46 strikeouts and just eight walks in 54.2 innings pitched.
In limited action this spring — thanks to the weather — he’s 2-2 in 22.2 innings pitched.
At Barron, Dietrich was a first-team all-Heart O’North pitcher and was also a standout basketball player for the Golden Bears.
Also coming to Eau Claire this summer are: New Mexico products Garrett Gouldsmith, Robert Gasser and Phillip Sikes; Dallas Baptist players Ryan Bishop and Jimmy Glowenke; Minnesota Golden Gopher Drew Hmielweski and St. Thomas player Henry DeCaster.
Of the eight players announced, six are joining the team from NCAA Division 1 programs, all institutions manager Dale Varsho has tapped into for players in the past couple of summers and beyond.
Garrett Gouldsmith is a middle infielder currently in his freshman season at the New Mexico. In high school, he was named a Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game All-American in 2017. He’s currently played 31 games for the Lobos and is hitting .274.
The Lobos have utilized Gasser, a left-handed pitcher, as a starter as well as a reliever this spring. He’s appeared in 12 games with eight starts and has 34 innings of work on the mound.
Sikes is a right-handed pitcher and outfielder who has made four relief appearances on the mound with 32 stints in the outfield. During his senior year of high school, Sikes hit .400 with 26 RBIs, nine doubles, four triples and three home runs. The 6-foot-2 righty also pitched for his high school team in Paris, Texas, finishing the year with a 0.83 ERA across 67.1 innings with 137 strikeouts.
Bishop was an all-state catcher in his native Austin, Texas. Glowenke is a middle infielder who was a 2017 Rawlings Perfect Game honorable mention All-American in Flower Mound, Texas. In 34 games played during his freshman year at Dallas Baptist, he has five home runs.
Hmielewski is a two-sport athlete at Minnesota as he also is a wide receiver for coach P.J. Fleck and the football team. As a senior at Marshall High School in Marshall, Minn., Hmielewski hit .467.
DeCaster is the St. Thomas ace with a 2.42 ERA. The left-hander is an All-MIAC pitcher.
The Express begin season number 14 in the Northwoods League on May 29 as they travel to Rochester, Minn. for the season opener against the Rochester Honkers. They continue to La Crosse to take on the Loggers for one game before opening their home schedule at Carson Park on Friday, June 1 versus the La Crosse Loggers. First pitch of the home opener is set at 7:05 p.m. and the game will be followed with a fireworks show.
Season tickets and 5-Game Packs are on sale now. 5-Game Packs include a reserved seat, Express jersey, Express hat, Express mug, and unlimited food and beverage for $70. Click here to purchase your 5-Game Pack online and we will contact you about your seats. You can also call us at (715)839-7788. Jersey sizes will be available on a first come, first serve basis.
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The Eau Claire Express are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Entering its 25th anniversary season, the Northwoods 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 190 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (TOR). 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.
