Eau Claire, WI – The Eau Claire Express (10-12) offense bounced back on Monday evening against the Thunder Bay Border Cats (6-17). After struggling the day before, Eau Claire came back with a vengeance, collecting eleven hits in a 10-6 victory.
The Express exploded for six runs in the third inning. Ryan Bishop (Dallas Baptist) lead off with a double and advanced to 3rd on a single hit by Drew Hmielewski (Minnesota). Noah Sifrit (Oklahoma State) hit an RBI single, scoring Bishop and moving Hmielewski to 2nd. Spencer Myers (Notre Dame) had a successful sac bunt to advance the runners a base. In the next at bat, Cody Milligan (Oklahoma State) hit into a fielder’s choice and Hmielewski came home on the play. The bases were loaded when Alec Trela (Memphis) was hit by a pitch. Nick Brueser (Stanford) hit a two RBI double to plate Sifrit and Milligan and advance Trela to third. Phillip Sikes (New Mexico) had a bases clearing, two RBI triple later in the inning.
The scoring did not end there. The Express picked right up again in the 4th inning. Noah Sifrit and Spencer Myers both singled. Cody Milligan laced a big, 2 RBI double to score both Sifrit and Myers. In the 7th inning, Phillip Sikes started with a walk and stole second base. Ryan Bishop walked and both runners advanced on a Drew Hmielewski sac bunt. Noah Sifrit delivered with a 2 RBI single.
Rece Dietrich (Duluth) got the start and win for the Express and went 6 innings, giving up three runs with two being earned. The sophomore allowed sevens hits and walked one while recording seven strikeouts. Jimmy Fouse (Dallas Baptist) entered for 0.1 innings and ran into trouble. The junior gave up two runs on three walks. Tyler Strzelczyk (MATC) earned a save after he entered in the 7th inning with the tying run in the on-deck circle. He would give up an unearned run and one walk.
Join us tomorrow night, Tuesday, July 31st, for Free Admission Night with a 6:35 pm first pitch! Yes, you did read that correctly. FREE! Thanks to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin we want to make sure you get a free ticket to our game against the Thunder Bay Border Cats. Here’s how it works:
- You can test your throwing arm with a small donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters! We’ll have our radar gun set up on the Hank Aaron Plaza, you can win your ticket by throwing FASTER than the following: 10 & under – 55 mph, 11-17 – 60 mph, 18+ – 70 mph.
- Come to Carson Park dressed in your best train conductor outfit (like our owner Andy Neborak is showing off on social media) and we’ll buy you a ticket to the game!
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The Eau Claire Express are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Now in 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.