Eau Claire, WI – In a game that saw errors, big hits, great catches, and funky plays, the Express snuck out a 5-3 victory over the Madison Mallards.
Dylan O’Connell (Western Kentucky) was the teams player of the night, as he went 1-3 with 2 RBI’s off a double in the bottom of the eighth inning. He also added 2 walks, and a game saving catch in center field for the final out.
The Express got a collection of strong pitching tonight, with Gavyn Bowen (College of Florida Sarasota-Manatee), Henry Wilkinson (Univervisty of Minnesota- Duluth), and Luke Wiltrakis (University of Georgia) all throwing multiple innings. Luke Wiltrakis picked up the win (1).
The Mallards surged late, scoring 2 runs in the top of the ninth inning. Started by an RBI triple from Connor Capece (Creighton) to lead off the inning, followed by a single from Blake Guerin (Iowa), Madison cut the lead in half. This was not enough, as the Express held on to seal the win.
The Express are back in action tomorrow night to finish a home-and-home series with Madison. First pitch is set for 5:35 at Warner Park, as they look to open their season with a series win.
https://scorebook.northwoodsleague.com/update/4726/statistics/stats/home/batting/game
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. Entering its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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 350 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 (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team 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 Rockers as your favorite team.
