LA CROSSE, Wis – The Loggers lost in another tough game yesterday. The Eau Claire Express swept the Logs with an 8-1 win. The ‘L’ puts the Loggers in a very tough situation; they need to win 3 out of their next 4 with Duluth losing 3 of their next 4 as well. Not to mention that Eau Claire is still in the mix as well. The road to the postseason is narrow for the Loggers, but crazier things have happened.
Last night’s game was very close for most of the game. The Express struck first, scoring 2 in the 2nd, but that lead was quickly cut in half with a Bill Ralston (Metropolitan State) home run in the 3rd, bringing the score to 2-1. Eau Claire extended their lead back to 2 in the 6th and put the game out of reach in the 9th when they scored 5 runs.
Both starting pitchers had great nights on the mound. Ethan Bradford (Nebraska) went 5.2 innings, striking out 7, and giving up 3 runs. Sadly, his efforts still resulted in him getting the loss on his record. On the other side, Tanner Halvorson earned the win for Eau Claire as he went 7.0 innings, striking out 8 while only giving up 1 run.
The player of the game is, once again, ‘Big Shot’ Bill Ralston. He plated the only run of the night with his 3rd inning home run. He finished the night with a stat line of 1-3 with a home run, RBI, and run scored. Jace Kressin came in and earned his 1st save of the year as well.
The Loggers are in desperate need of some wins; they hope to get one tonight as they welcome the Rochester Honkers into Copeland Park for Fan Appreciation Night. Look out for deals going on in the Pro Shop and Concession stands! ROLL LOGS!