The Express dropped the second game of the home-and-home series against the Honkers to fall to 4-8 on the season.
The contest remained tight through five innings as Eau Claire trailed just 3-2 after both teams added a tally in the fifth. Rochester slowly took control of the game though, first with a three-run sixth inning and then for good with an eight-run eighth. The Express managed to push two across in the ninth but ultimately fell 14-4 to be swept by the Honkers.
Both teams scored one in the first, with Alex Hendrickson (St. Thomas) coming across to tie the game on a throwing error by the Honkers catcher after a dropped third strike. After Rochester added another in the third and the fifth, Eau Claire battled back into the game as Ian Guanzon (San Joaquin Delta) drove in Jackson Glueck (Pima) with an RBI groundout.
A pair of doubles from Kai Caranto and Allan Camarillo in the sixth led the Honkers to the three-run inning that provided ample breathing room for the visitors.
Rochester then blew the game open in the eighth, riding seven hits and a plethora of Express mistakes to an eight-run inning that effectively put the contest on ice as the lead grew to 12 runs.
Eau Claire catcher Matthew Cormier (Cal State Northridge) doubled to open the home half of the ninth before Glueck traded places with him on an RBI double to left-center field. Joey Flom (Minnesota–Duluth) got enough of a flyout to left to score Glueck for the final run as two quick outs ended the game at 14-4.
The Express get another chance to get back on the tracks in front of their home crowd tomorrow night against Waterloo. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. in the first of the two-game series and local band Uncommon Denominator will be playing sets before and after the game at Carson Park.
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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.
