Eau Claire, WI – It was a nice easy afternoon for the Express and their fans at Carson Park, as the Men in Orange made quick work of the La Crosse Loggers, winning 8-2.
Things got off to a hot start for the Express as Dylan O’Connell (St. Thomas) cranked a 2-run Home Run in the bottom of the opening inning. This shot bounced off the fan deck in right field as he and teammate Nate Witte (UW-Eau Claire) trotted around the basepaths.
This was 1 of 2 Home Runs on the day, with the second one coming in the bottom of the 4th inning off the bat of Barry Eiseman (Montevallo).
The hits and RBIs were early and often today, as the team was led by O’Connell who went 2-4 with 3 RBIs, followed closely by Cole Conn (UIC), going 1-4 with 2 RBIs.
Pitching was solid all the way around, as Isaiah Katz (UW-La Crosse), Tyler Schmitt (UW-La Crosse), and Derek Lilledahl (MSU Mankato) all combined to give up just 2 runs in 9 innings, with 5 combined strikeouts.
The Express are back in action later today, as they rematch the Loggers at 6:35 CT. Be sure to stop out to the ballpark for Teacher Appreciation Night, where Teachers get in free with valid teacher ID.
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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. Now in its’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 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 325 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 (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. 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.