By Lance Jones
Eau Claire Express Manager Dale Varsho and Coach Vic Cable have been a tandem for 15 years and now are the only two managers in Northwoods League history to win 500 games. History was earned in the Express 4-2 win over the Thunder Bay Border Cats on Wednesday night. With the win Eau Claire swept the two game set over Thunder Bay.
The Express got on the board in the second inning against Border Cats starter Alex Dafoe (Friends University). Cole Cabrera (Cal Poly), making his Express debut cracked a double into left that scored Nick Lopez (Illinois-Chicago) from second base.
Thunder Bay managed only four hits on the night after being limited to only five in game one. However, Conor Allard (Nevada-Reno) was all over the ball going 3-for-4. With the bases loaded and nobody out in the fourth, Allard would single in Karsten Vasquez (Sacramento City College) with the bases loaded. Express Starter Matt Verdun (Lewis College) would buckle down and get three straight outs to get out of the inning.
The Cats would load the bases again courtesy of two walks by Verdun and a hit by pitch. But a Varsho call to the bullpen would bring in Jonathan Worley (Stanford) who got a strikeout to end the threat. Verdun finished 4 2/3 allowing one earned run on two hits and three strikeouts. He walked six, but managed to get out of dodge without a decision.
Worley (1-1) would be made a winner in the sixth. With the bases loaded, a packed train, the Express would deliver some passengers home on three straight RBI singles by Lopez, Sam Kohnle (Winona St.) and Cabrera.
Dafoe (1-2) would take the loss for the Cats allowing four runs on nine hits and two strikeouts.
Allard doubled, his third of the season, to start the eighth. He was followed up by Alexander Hernandez’s (Nova Southeastern) RBI single to cut the deficit to two. The Cats would not be able to get anything else going.
Austin Eggleston (Friends University) pitched two shutout innings in relief of Dafoe for the Border Cats.
Nick Herold (Winona St.) threw a scoreless ninth for his second save and to secure win 500 for Mr. Varsho and Mr. Cable.
Thunder Bay ends their voyages going .500 on the six game road trip. The boys are back in town to start a four game home stand against the Mankato MoonDogs Thursday night at Port Arthur Stadium. It is Thirsty Thursday, with $5 Tall Boys beers from Sleeping Giant Brewing Company. It is also 99.9 THE BAY night in the park. The Cats look for their first win of the season against Mankato, a team that has beat them in all four previous meetings. Probable starters are lefty Mark Anderson (Lafayette College PA) (1-0, 3.72 ERA) for the Border Cats and Tyler Lesley Angelo State (2-0 3.42) for the Dogs.
