Eau Claire, WI – The Eau Claire Express (14-16) could not get the offense started against the Mankato MoonDogs (13-17) as they fell 4-2.
Mankato plated two runs to take an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. They would score one in the 4th and another in the 6th inning to go up 4-0.
The only offense the Express could muster was in the bottom of the 9th inning. Spencer Myers (Notre Dame) started the inning with a walk. Matt Bottcher (Illinois-Chicago) advanced Myers to second on a single. Myers moved to third base but Bottcher was erased when Brandon Dieter (Stanford) hit into a 5-4-3 DP. With two outs in the inning and a runner on third, Phillip Sikes (Pima CC) scored Myers on an RBI single. Troy Beilsmith (Evansville) followed with a big RBI double to score Sikes and put the score to the final of 4-2 MoonDogs.
Starter Matt Verdun (Lewis) took the loss tonight after throwing 3.0 innings and giving up three runs (two earned). He allowed four hits and struck out six. Dylan Villalobos (Cal Poly) also pitched 3.0 innings of one run ball. He struck out seven batters. Rece Finck (Illinois-Springfield) tossed the final 3.0 innings, with just one hit coming during his time on the mound.
The Eau Claire Express will face the La Crosse Loggers tomorrow at 6:35 pm at Carson Park. Join us for a fantastic T-Shirt Giveaway sponsored by the L.E. Phillips Career Development Center! Express T-Shirt Giveaway Night is always a fan favorite. Show up early, gates open at 5:35pm, and take home a free Eau Claire Express t-shirt.
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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