| Eau Claire Express | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| League | Northwoods League (Great Plains East 2019-present) (North Division 2014-2018) (South Division 2005-2013) |
| Location | Eau Claire, Wisconsin |
| Ballpark | Carson Park |
| Founded | 2005 |
| League championships | 1 (2010) |
| Division championships | 4 (2007, 2010, 2016, 2019) |
| Colors | Burnt Orange, Black, |
| Ownership | Craig Toycen, The Toycen Baseball Club, LLC[1] |
| Management | Sammi Costello,[2] |
| Manager | Dale Varsho,Vic Cable[3] |
| Media | Eau Claire Leader Telegram |
| Website | EauClaireExpress.com |
The Eau Claire Express is a collegiate summer baseball team playing in the Northwoods League. Their home games are played at Carson Park, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
After two straight losing seasons in 2005 and 2006, the Eau Claire Express achieved many firsts during the 2007 season. The team won nine of its final ten regular season games to finish 42-26 overall and claim the 2007 2nd Half South Division title, their first regular season division title in franchise history and qualified for the Northwoods League playoffs, another franchise first.
In the 2007, South Division Championship Series, they faced the 1st Half South Division Champion Green Bay Bullfrogs. They won the series 2–1, claiming the 2007 South Division Pennant, another first in franchise history. In the 2007 Northwoods League Championship Series, they faced the North Division Champion St. Cloud River Bats and were swept 2-0 by the eventual Northwoods League Champions.
The 2008 season ended with the Express missing the Northwoods League playoffs by 1.5 games. The Express finished the season one game below .500.
The Express had one of their best seasons in 2009. They had a great first half, winning the NWL South Division to qualify for the playoffs. However, injuries and summer school depleted the squad in the second half. Eau Claire was eliminated in two games by the La Crosse Loggers in the Northwoods League Divisional round.
In 2010, the Express won the first half of the season again with a 22–12 record. Via www.perfectgame.org, the Express have been ranked as high as #3 in the nation for summer collegiate baseball. The team closed out the 2010 season winning both halves. They followed this up by winning the NWL Championship and www.perfectgame.org ranked the Eau Claire Express the #1 summer collegiate team in the nation.
The Express moved to the North Division for 2014, to accommodate the new NWL teams in Kenosha, Wisconsin and Kalamazoo, Michigan. [4]
The 2016, season saw the Express return to the Northwoods League postseason after winning the season's first half title. This was the first time the team had qualified for the playoffs since the 2010 season. Eau Claire opened the playoffs hosting the Mankato MoonDogs in the first round of the Divisional Playoffs at Carson Park. Despite having only a 1–7 record vs. Mankato in the regular season, Eau Claire was able to defeat the MoonDogs to advance. The next night the team traveled to St. Cloud, Minn. to face the second half champion Rox for a chance to play for the NWL Championship. After blowing a late lead, the Express were able to defeat the Rox in extra innings to win the North Division title.
Awaiting the Express in the NWL Championship Series was the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters, the owners of the league's best regular season record. Eau Claire led game one by a run with two outs in the ninth inning at Witter Field in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. before giving up a walk-off, two-run home run to lose. The Express would go on to lose game two the following night at Carson Park to end a successful season and concede the Northwoods League title to the Rafters.[5]
In 2022, The Eau Claire Express won the Great Plains East Division with a record of 42–26.[6] The Express lost in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual Plains Division champion Duluth Huskies.[7]
| Season | GP | W | L | Finish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 68 | 36 | 32 | 4th of 8 in South Division | |
| 2010 | 70 | 48 | 22 | Northwoods League Champions, beat Rochester Honkers | |
| 2011 | 70 | 36 | 34 | 5th of 8th in South Division | |
| 2012 | 70 | 26 | 44 | 8th of 8th in South Division | |
| 2013 | 70 | 33 | 37 | 4th of 8th in South Division | |
| 2014 | 72 | 36 | 36 | 6th of 9th in North Division | |
| 2015 | 71 | 29 | 42 | 9th of 9th in North Division | |
| 2016 | 72 | 45 | 27 | Northwoods League Runner-ups, lost to Wisconsin Rapids Rafters | |
| 2017 | 72 | 39 | 33 | 5th of 10th in North Division | |
| 2018 | 71 | 28 | 43 | 8th of 10th in North Division | |
| 2019 | 72 | 40 | 32 | Northwoods League Runner-ups, controversially lost to the Traverse City Pit Spitters | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Did not play due to the Covid-19 pandemic | |
| 2021 | 68 | 27 | 41 | 4th of 5th in Great Plains East | |
| 2022 | 68 | 42 | 26 | 1st of 5th Great Plains East, lost 0-2 in Div. Semifinals to the Duluth Huskies | |
| 2023 | 67 | 36 | 31 | 3rd of 6th Great Plains East, lost 0-2 in Div. Semifinals to the La Crosse Loggers |
Express Players to reach Major League Baseball[8]
- Jordan Zimmermann - Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers[9]
- Kole Calhoun - Los Angeles Angels, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers[10]
- Nevin Ashley - Milwaukee Brewers[11]
- Eddie Gamboa - Tampa Bay Rays[12]
- Brad Goldberg - Chicago White Sox[13]
- Dietrich Enns - Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays[14]
- Nathan Orf - Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics[15]
- Sam Haggerty - New York Mets, Seattle Mariners[16]
- Daulton Varsho - Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays[17]
- Louis Head - Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins[18]
- Griffin Jax - Minnesota Twins[19]
- Steven Wilson - San Diego Padres[20]
- Mickey McDonald - Oakland Athletics[21]
- Alex Call - Washington Nationals[22]
- Michael Papierski - San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds[23]
- Mark Hallberg (Coach) - San Francisco Giants[24]
- Justin Viele (Coach) - San Francisco Giants[25]
