LA CROSSE, Wis. — Eight different La Crosse Loggers players collected a hit on Friday night, but those base knocks did not translate into enough runs as the Loggers fell 12-5 to the Eau Claire Express in front of 2,703 fans at Copeland Park.
The Loggers (14-18) took the lead in the bottom in the fourth inning, a frame that was led off by a deep home run by Ryan Holgate (Arizona) to right field. The home run was the sixth of the year for Holgate, who leads the Great Plains Division and is second in the entire Northwoods League with 28 RBI. Holgate also had a single to raise his average to .289, and currently has an eight-game hitting streak.
Eau Claire (15-17) scored nine runs across the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, as catcher Victor Martinez led the way with a 3-for-5 effort for the Express.
Nick Eaton (Butler) took the loss for La Crosse, allowing two earned runs and five hits over 4.1 innings pitched. Andrew Zimmerman (Johnson Community College) threw two scoreless innings in relief for the Loggers.
Five Loggers players, including Holgate, had multiple hits on the day. JT Schwartz (UCLA) and Tony Bullard (Arizona) each had a double as a part of their two hits, while Trey Harris (Arkansas) had his second consecutive two-hit game. Adam Christianson (Illinois Central) went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks to raise his on-base percentage to .415.
La Crosse starts a two-game home series with Willmar tonight at 6:05. Gates will open at 5:00 pm for Matt Chapman Gold Glove Bobblehead Day, presented by Kwik Trip.
