On what was a perfect late-morning start for a holiday baseball game, the Cavaliers came out on top, 3-1, over the Eau Claire Bears in a game that held special significance for all who played in it at Carson Park Monday.
In what has become a Memorial Day Weekend tradition in Eau Claire, the Cavs played host to the Bears for the Sixth Annual Billy Noss Memorial Game, with all ticket and raffle proceeds going to agency 3-06 Eau Claire adult Special Olympics.
The game honored Noss, the longtime Eau Claire man known for his enthusiastic demeanor who was a fixture at local athletic events shagging balls and helping direct traffic. He died in 2018 at the age of 78, but his memory continues to fill the Carson Park Field where he spent many a summer day watching local baseball.
During his life Noss became one of Eau Claire’s most familiar faces. In addition to tracking down loose balls at baseball games played by the Eau Claire Bears, Cavaliers and high school teams, Noss was present at many local high school basketball contests and worked security at other events.
Noss often accompanied local sports radio announcers Dave Hanson and Hayes Callaghan to sports events. He loved to interact with people wherever he was, those who knew him said.
Randy Millis, vice president of the Cavaliers, further elaborated on what makes this now-annual game so special.
”The significance of the Billy Noss Memorial Game is to honor (Eau Claire) Special Adult Olympics. Billy was a long time ball shagger for the Cavaliers, Eau Claire Bears and also the American Legion for probably 30 plus years. He was very dedicated to each organization and very serious to his duties. Wonderful person who was friends with everyone especially giving all the girls a big kiss on the cheek. All the proceeds go to Adult Special Olympics #3-06,” Millis told the Leader-Telegram following the game.
According to the Cavaliers’ Facebook page, donations for the raffle baskets were made by Micon Cinemas, Chippewa Valley Sporting Goods, Silver Springs, Hobbsy’s Bar and Trendstone.
Now on to the game played in Noss’ honor: With Andrew Milner starting on the mound for the Cavaliers, the home team hoped to hoist the Billy Noss Trophy for the sixth time.
After giving up a homer to the Bears Drew Salyers in the top of the first, Milner never gave up anything else in the seven innings pitched to claim the victory for the Cavaliers.
For their part, Caden Erickson tied up the game for the Cavs in the bottom of the first and they never looked back. A Brayton Thillman run on a Jerome Delikowski base hit in the second inning put the home squad on top for good. That was followed by a Xavier Bembnister run in the third and that was all she wrote, as the Cavs have never surrendered the Noss Trophy in the seven years since the Memorial game was first played. The 6-0 Cavs stat takes into account that in 2020, the game was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Milner struck out 12 in his seven innings on the plate and was replaced by Jaxon Vance in the eighth and Tyson Woodcock, who pitched his second save in two games for the Cavaliers, in the ninth inning. Of note, Delikowski had both his first hit and first run batted in wearing a Cavs jersey in the game.
In commenting on the importance of the win, Cavaliers field manager Ryan Bembnister said there was definitely a special significance to the game and his team’s victory.
“The significance of this win is obviously the game means so much because of the Billy Noss connection. It’s probably the most important game of our season,” Bembnister told the Leader-Telegram following the win, adding that he was especially happy to get this win for the team’s board.
“There was no pep talk needed and they definitely came to work to win,” the field manager went on to say.
Bembnister noted that “pitching was dominant. We struggled out of a few innings, but we got out of them.”
He added that it was “nice to see the bats get going” against a team that is definitely a solid competitor
“The Bears are up and coming, they are not a pushover,” Bembnister mentioned.
Moving forward, the field manager says the team needs to tighten up its defense and learn how to not commit errors, like the two the Cavaliers tallied against the Bears Monday afternoon.
Next up for the Cavaliers is a Wednesday night game at Carson Park against the Beef River Bullfrogs. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
Local News
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