In a rain-shortened contest against the Big Sticks, the Express put together enough offense and rode a solid start from Walker Retz (St. Thomas) to a 6-4 victory in seven innings. Eau Claire scored in each of the first four innings and eventually took a lead that it wouldn’t relinquish.
A reached-on-error and two walks loaded the bases in the first for the Express, allowing Nick Mascaro’s (Cal State Bakersfield) flyout to left to score Eau Claire’s first run of the game. His collegiate teammate Adam Salazar (Cal State Bakersfield) tied the game at 2-2 an inning later with a run-scoring single up the middle.
A pair of RBI walks in the third gave the Express a short-lived 4-2 lead, as Badlands knocked in a pair to tie the game back up at four apiece. The winning runs ultimately came in the fourth, as Mascaro singled to reach base and eventually crossed the plate on a wild pitch before Jackson Glueck (Pima) traded places with Ian Guanzon (San Joaquin Delta) with an RBI double to make it 6-4.
Retz was hit hard to open the game as the Big Sticks led by two runs just five pitches into the ball game. A double and a wind-aided home run to left-center field gave the visitors the early lead. The Boyceville, Wis., native settled in nicely though, striking out the next three batters for the first few of his eventual ten strikeouts.
A few base hits scored two in the fourth, but Retz ultimately exited after the sixth inning with a respectable line of four earned runs on six hits with ten strikeouts and no walks. The junior threw 99 pitches and picked up the victory.
Zach Diver (Doane) threw an effective 11-pitch inning before the game was delayed and eventually called due to weather after 6.5 innings of play.
The victory moved the Express back to .500 at 4-4 before they head to La Crosse to take on the Loggers tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. Eau Claire returns to Carson Park Friday for a matchup with the Rochester Honkers.
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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. Entering its’ 32nd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history 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, nearly 2400 NWL alums have been drafted and over 380 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 (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford 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, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. 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.
