It’s time for the Eau Claire Express to rest, relax and regroup following a weekend of Northwoods Baseball League (NBL) play that didn’t go quite as well as they had hoped it would.
The weekend started off nicely for the Express in a Friday romp on the road over the Rochester Honkers, 9-2. That was followed, though, by two losses to the Duluth Huskies to end their three days on the diamond. They were defeated by Duluth at Carson Park on Saturday by a 13-6 count and then went back on the road late Sunday afternoon and took it on the chin in a narrow 7-6 loss to that same Huskies squad that is currently only one game out of first place in the Great Plains East Division of the NBL at press time.
The team now has three days off for the NBL All-Star break before returning to the diamond for a five-game home stand that begins on Thursday night.
Sunday’s matinee game got off to a strong start for the Express. Capped by a five-run second inning effort, the Express then had to go on the defensive, which worked for them until an onslaught of Huskies runs started in the bottom of the fourth inning and eventually won the home team the game.
Dylan Knowles got the scoring started for Eau Claire right off the bat in the game with a home run to right field to make it 1-0 after one.
A Davis Rivers homer at the top of the second advanced both Rivers and Jake Busson to home plate. A Brigs Richartz double to right field allowed Brady Blake and Knowles to get runs and two plays later Richartz made it 6-0, Eau Claire.
Three Duluth runs in the fourth and another in the bottom of the sixth and the score was then 6-4 with the good guys still out in front. Two more Huskies runs in the seventh inning and it was all tied up at 6 entering the ninth inning. A final Duluth run in the bottom of the ninth capped off the scoring and ended the game.
Dawson Hargrove took the loss on the mound for the Express, who narrowly outhit the Huskies, 9-8, despite the defeat.
During Friday’s rout over Rochester, the Express bats were hot as they outhit the Honkers, 11-6, while committing no errors. Eau Claire had two one-run innings and three multiple-run ones in securing the victory over the Honkers.
Ryan Speshyock was the winner on the mound for the Express, pitching six innings and giving up only three hits and one run in the Eau Claire victory. For his efforts — including pitching 10 strikeouts — Speshyock was named NBL Pitcher of the Night.
On Saturday, despite a four-run fourth-inning effort from the Express, three multiple-run innings from Duluth sealed the win for the Huskies, who outhit Eau Claire, 10-4. Matthew Hoskins was the losing pitcher for the Express, pitching 3.2 innings.
A grand-slam homerun from Evan Gustafson in the bottom of the fourth inning helped earn him Express Player of the Night on Saturday.
Following Sundays loss, the Express dropped to 8-10 in Great Plains East Division of the NBL for this second half of the League season and are 23-30 overall as they enter the All-Star break.
Richartz, however, will be among those League players participating in the League’s Home Run Derby Challenge as part of the NBL All-Star Game activities.
The Home Run Challenge which will take place on Monday night at ISG Field in Mankato, Minnesota. The actual All-Star Game is set for Tuesday evening.
The Express next take to the field on Thursday at home for a two-game series against the Thunder Bay Border Cats. First pitch at Carson Park is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Most Popular
Comments / 0