Eau Claire, WI – On the first day back from the Northwoods League All Star Break, the Eau Claire Express (8-5, 27-22) fell behind early to the La Crosse Loggers (8-5, 25-24) and could not battle back. After an attempted 9th inning comeback, the Express fell 5-3 to the Loggers.
Lakeland University Postgame Recap:
It was a pitchers’ duel through the 3rd inning. Neither starter allowed a run and only 5 hits came between both teams. La Crosse broke it up in the top of the 4th inning, scoring 2 runs on a triple and a home run.
The Express got one in the bottom of the 5th inning. With two outs in the inning, Cole Cabrera (Cal Poly) singled. He advanced to third base in the next at bat when Zach Gilles (Central Michigan) singled. Cabrera raced home on a wild pitch to put the Express on the board and cut the Logger lead to 2-1.
The Loggers scored 3 runs and extended their lead to 5-1 in the top of the 7th inning, doing so on four hits.
Eau Claire attempted a comeback in the 9th, but ultimately fell short. The bases loaded on a Sam Kohnle (Winona State) single, Adam LaRock (Madison College) walk, and Matt Bottcher (Illinois-Chicago) single. David LaManna (Notre Dame) drew a bases loaded walk to score Kohnle. In the next at bat, Mason Gavre (Paradise Valley CC) also earned a free pass and got the RBI as LaRock scored. That would be all for the Express though, as they fell 5-3.
Eau Claire begins a long road trip tomorrow night in La Crosse. They continue to Thunder Bay for a weekend, Saturday to Tuesday, series. After a league wide off day on Wednesday, July 24th, the Express return home on Thursday, July 25th. The Waterloo Bucks will be in town for a 6:35 pm first pitch. “Outside the sun is shining and friends are calling “yoo-hoo!” Join us as we celebrate Christmas in July at Carson Park!
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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.