La Crosse, WI – The Express and Loggers finished off their four-game series tonight, playing a pair of games at Copeland Park in La Crosse. Eau Claire split the contests 1-1 on the night and the overall series 2-2. The Express dropped game one, 8-0, and ran away in a shortened seven-inning game two, 7-3.
Lakeland University Postgame Recap: In game one of tonight’s modified doubleheader, the Express began the game trailing La Crosse by a single run, the point at which the game had been postponed on Tuesday night. Already at a deficit, Eau Claire’s pitching was not able to overcome the early disadvantage and surrendered a single run in the fourth and seventh innings, and five in the sixth, ultimately dropping an 8-0 ball game. Eau Claire was limited to only four hits in the game and were outhit 10-4. Spencer Myers (Notre Dame) went 2-for-4 for the Express, who left nine runners on the base paths.
In the second game of the evening, the Express jumped out to a 5-0 lead with the top of the order for Eau Claire getting after La Crosse’s starter, Jack Ferguson, quickly. The Loggers would thunder back with three consecutive runs, including a solo home run to center field by Ryan Holgate.
The Express added a few insurance runs in the fifth inning through Boone Montgomery (UT-Arlington). Montgomery dropped one into the gap in right center, for his first hit and RBIs in the Northwoods league, increasing Eau Claire’s advantage to 7-3.
The Eau Claire Express pitching staff and some timely defensive plays left 8 Loggers stranded on the base paths. Cole LaLonde (Century CC) and Nick Alvarado (Illinois-Springfield) combined for five innings pitched and five strikeouts. Phillip Sikes (Pima CC) moved to the bump to close out the game on the mound for the Express, facing six batters and striking out six, to give the Express their first road win of the season.
Nick Lopez (Illinois-Chicago) finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI, Sam Kohnle (Winona) was 2-for 3, while Montgomery led the Express with two RBIs.
Eau Claire now hold an overall record of 3-7 in the Great Plains Division. The Loggers stand at 4-6 with their most recent results.
Eau Claire will return to Carson Park Friday evening to begin a four-game homestand, playing two games against Waterloo and Thunder Bay through the weekend.
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The Eau Claire Express are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 25-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 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, over 200 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 (MIA). 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.