The Express were unable to secure the series sweep.
In a back-and-forth ballgame that was closer than the 15-6 final score indicated, Waterloo exploded for 12 runs in the final three innings to take over the game and secure the win. Eau Claire erased an early deficit to take the lead in the fifth, but the Bucks offense broke through late to recapture the lead and post the lopsided scoreline.
St. Thomas product Walker Retz got his third start of the season for the Express. The 6-foot-3 senior gave up a three-run home run for the first scoring of the game in the second, but quickly settled in to post a good outing for the Trains. Retz gave up just three hits after the homer, ultimately finishing with six innings pitched, seven hits, three earned runs, six strikeouts and just one walk.
The Eau Claire bats were relatively quiet early on, registering just three baserunners through the first four innings. That changed quickly in the fifth, though, as the Express got to Waterloo starter Eli Pillsbury. Three consecutive batters reached to start the inning, loading the bases and prompting a mound visit for the Bucks. Left fielder Joey Flom (Minnesota–Duluth) notched Eau Claire’s first run with a station-to-station single before the team’s RBI leader, McGwire Turner (Montevallo), shot a double down the right field line to clear the bases and give the Express a 4-3 lead.
The score held until the seventh inning when Eau Claire turned to the bullpen. Waterloo was able to rally against the Express relievers, posting four runs in the seventh, two runs in the eighth and six in the ninth to take the lead and then completely put the game away.
Jake Busson (Illinois–Chicago), Marcelino Alonso (Madison College), Nick Mascaro (Cal State Bakersfield) and Jackson Glueck (Pima) each notched a hit in the bottom of the eighth to score two runs and pull the Express within three runs at 9-6, but the Bucks responded loudly in the ninth to render the rally irrelevant.
The loss dropped Eau Claire to 5-9 on the season as it prepares to head north of the border for a two-game series against Thunder Bay. The Express will return to Carson Park Wednesday to take on Duluth at 6:35 p.m.
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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.
