Latest News
Eau Claire, WI – In a game that started late due to heavy rains, the Express were unable to get the win, losing to the Willmar Stingers 7-2.
The game started off with a bang, but not the favorable kind for the Express, as Stinger Andrew Sojka took the first pitch of the delayed ballgame deep for a solo home run.
Daniel Rosado (Lewis) was the man on the mound for the first 3 innings. He gave up 4 hits and got a strikeout, yet he only gave up 1 run on the early homer. His exit gave way to Nick Fitzanko (Missouri-St. Louis) who lasted 1 2/3 innings, giving up 5 runs. From there, three other arms were used by the Express, but the run support did not come from the Eau Claire bats.
Sojka was the thorn in the side of the Express all night, as he clobbered his second home run of the ballgame in the top of the 5th to put the Stingers up 4-0. Kevin Fitzer would make it 5-0 in this same inning as he hit a home run of his own to the deepest part of the ballpark in center.
For the Express, they struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half of the game, as they racked up multiple 1-2-3 innings.
It wasn’t until the bottom of the seventh inning that Eau Claire broke their scoreless streak. Runs came in the form of a Marcus Cline (Tulane) homer that went deep over the rightfield wall, scoring him and Bronson Rivera (Hawaii). These runs would unfortunately not be the difference maker for the Express, as they were unable to close the gap on the Stingers down the stretch.
The Express will play their final regular season tomorrow night at Carson Park, with first pitch coming at 6:35 pm CT. The Express will be hosting fan appreciation night, with drawings for prizes being held every inning. There will also be a school supply donation drive being held prior to the game. Every donor will be receiving a voucher for a free concession stand item, and 4 lucky fans will receive a “Golden Ticket” item consisting of some awesome Express merch. Be sure to come on out to the park and take part in the plethora of giveaways!
###
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.
