Eau Claire, Wisc. – The scoring started early on Tuesday night at Carson Park in Eau Claire and didn’t stop as the visiting La Crosse Loggers beat the host Eau Claire Express 25-7 to split the two-game set.
La Crosse scored seven times in the top of the first on five hits and were aided by five walks and a hit-by-pitch to take an early lead they would never relinquish.
Eau Claire did answer with four runs of their own in the bottom of the first off of Loggers starter Tanner Thomas (Louisville) to keep the scoring frenzy rolling, making 7-4 after one complete inning. But the Lumbermen kept pouring it on all night, scoring three more times in the second to extend their lead to 10-4.
The Express made it a game by plating three runs in the third to cut the deficit to 10-7 before the Loggers opened the game up with six runs in the fifth inning and added five more in seventh and another four runs in the ninth to lead to the 25-7 victory.
The Logger offense totaled 17 hits on the night, drew 17 walks and were hit by five pitches. Stephen Chucka (Central Florida) and Jake Redding (Hawaii) led the way with each collecting three hits. Savion Flowers, Mana Lau Kong, Sebastian Hurtado, Jose Lopez and Carson Ohland all recorded two-hit nights as well.
Mason Beltrand picked up the win on the mound for the Loggers to improve to 2-0 on the season after firing three shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts. Peyton Olds (Sacramento City College) recorded a three-inning save by striking out four Express batters over three shutout innings.
With the win the Loggers improved to 13-8 and remain atop the Great Plains East Division standings by 1/2 game over the Rochester Honkers who come to town on Wednesday for a Day-Night twinbill. The first game will start at 12:05 pm and game #2 will begin at 6:35 pm at the friendly confines of Copeland Park.