Express rolling at just the right time

The Eau Claire Express are clearly on track and rolling entering the last week of Northwoods Baseball League (NBL) regular season play.

Since returning from the NBL All-Star break, the squad is 9-2 and at press time Monday were tied with the Duluth Huskies for first place in Great Plains East Division for the second half of the League season.

A four-game road stand North of the border against the Thunder Bay Border Cats was at press time set to start Monday evening (Game results will appear in Wednesday’s print edition of the Leader-Telegram). They will follow up those games in Canada with a home and home series against the Madison Mallards.

First pitch at Warner Park in Madison Friday is set for 6:05 p.m., while Saturday’s final regular-season game at Carson Park against the Mallards is set for 6:35 p.m.

During this all-important week for the Express, the team will be hosting a watch party in its Wipfli Zone at Carson Park for Thursday’s final game against Thunder Bay. Gates open at 5 p.m. and first pitch in Canada is set for 6:35 p.m. The Wipfli Zone bar, as well as Bubbles BBQ will be open for those attending the festivities.

At press time, both the Huskies and Express had identical 17-12 records , with Thunder Bay only two games behind both teams with a 15-14 record and the Rochester Honkers 2.5 games out of first with a 14-14 mark. the la Crosse Loggers have already punched a ticket to the NBL playoffs by virtue of winning the Great Plains East Division in the first half of the season. The Express were 15-20 during that first stretch and were in fifth place in the division,

The Express swept all four games they played over the weekend, while Duluth is currently on a two-game win streak.

Evan Gustafson was Eau Claire’s Player of the Night on Sunday in the Express’ 6-5 win over Thunder Bay at Carson Park. He went 1-for-three, had one single and two runs on the day.