Fans can now watch the NWL’s 25th anniversary season free online
Fans can watch games by visiting this link: Northwoods League Video
Rochester, Minn. – As we wait for live baseball to return fans can now relive the Northwoods League’s 25th anniversary season in 2018 for free online.
“Being at the ballpark watching a game with friends and family holds such a special place in our hearts and minds, and we especially miss those experiences in these difficult times,” said Gary Hoover, Northwoods League President and Commissioner. “Hopefully creating this opportunity for fans to reconnect via video will brighten outlooks until we can all safely return to normal.”
The NWL archives of the 2018 season are now open and accessible for all on the Stretch Internet platform, which means more than 700 games are available to stream free for a limited time. This includes the NWL All-Star Game, Major League Dreams Showcase, playoffs and the Summer Collegiate World Series.
The Northwoods League celebrated its 25th-Anniversary Season in 2018 with 718 games played and a new attendance record, as 1,177,903 fans passed through the turnstiles of its twenty Affiliated Teams.
Second-year team, Fond du Lac, the South Division Champions, captured the Summer Collegiate World Series title with a winner take all, 4-3 victory over the Duluth Huskies.
The 24th Northwoods League All-Star Game was hosted by the Kalamazoo Growlers. The Home-Run Derby was won by hometown hero, Zach Daniels (Tennessee) of the Growlers, and the “Star of Stars” trophy went to the Lakeshore Chinook’s shortstop Jack Dunn (Northwestern), who hit his first HR of the year, in the eighth inning, to give the South Division a 2-1 victory before the 3,211 fans that packed into Homer-Stryker Stadium.
Duluth Huskies’ outfielder Augie Isaacson (Friends University) won the Northwoods League MVP award, leading the League in hitting (.364), and stolen bases (39), for the North Division Champions. Eau Claire’s Justin Slaten (New Mexico), won the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Year honors by throwing 57 innings, giving up 41 hits, striking out 70 batters and posting a 7-1 won-loss record for a team that was 28-43 overall.
The Northwoods League’s Major League Dreams Showcase, which annually features the League’s top 100 players as chosen by MLB Scouts, in a double-header, featured 16 pitchers throwing 93 MPH or more, led by Kalamazoo’s Joe Boyle (Notre Dame) who threw 102 MPH. It was described by one national publication as a “parade of arms” and was attended by over 50 MLB Scouts and Cross-Checkers.
Those are just a few highlights of the 25th anniversary season that are now at your fingertips.
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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 Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 26th season, the Northwoods 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 230 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmermann (DET). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. 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.