Duluth Huskies Allow 15 Runs for Second Straight Night, Lose 15-6 to the Eau Claire Express

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Duluth Huskies Allow 15 Runs for Second Straight Night, Lose 15-6 to the Eau Claire Express

May 31, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Duluth Huskies News Release


EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin - The Duluth Huskies scored six runs but fell to the Eau Claire Express, 15-6, in their final game of a five-game road trip.

For the third time this season, the Huskies fell against an opponent with double-digit runs scored, as the Eau Claire Express exploded for 15 runs against four Huskies pitchers. Opening Day starter Jackson Smith, on three days' rest, struck out two Eau Claire batters while allowing four runs across three innings of work.

The Express scored three of those runs in the bottom of the second, highlighted by Joey Flom's RBI double and Northwoods League RBI-leader Alex Hendrickson earning his 11th with a single to bring home Flom.

Scoring started for the Huskies in the top of the third, when Ethan Casas-Wu reached on a fielder's choice. He was advanced to second by Elijah Fairchild's groundout, followed by Anthony Zarzana eliciting an error to allow Casas-Wu to score.

In the top of the fourth, with the Huskies in a 4-1 rut, Zan Von Schlegell doubled into right field and was promptly moved over to third by Eau Claire pitcher Easton Bobb's first wild pitch of the evening. Nolan Barry lifted a fly ball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly, driving Von Schlegell in for the second Huskies run of the ballgame.

After three innings of work, James Rheaume relieved Jackson Smith on the mound. The Express scored three runs off him in the fifth. Five more Eau Claire runners came in to score in the sixth, all charged to third Huskies reliever of the night, Simon Murray.

The Huskies wouldn't score again until the seventh, when Reagan Reeder became the first of four Duluth hitters to reach base with a free pass from Express reliever Bridger Hamilton. Kade Thompson's walk with the bases loaded gave the Huskies their third run of the evening and put the score at 12-3, Eau Claire leading.

In the top of the eighth, the Huskies' offense clicked, starting with John DiGregorio's walk and Nolan Barry's double into the left field gap. Duluth's early batting average leader Reagan Reeder singled to right, bringing in DiGregorio. With two outs, Zarzana walked to load the bases, and Thompson repeated his feat from the previous inning to draw a bases-loaded walk for an RBI.

Zan Von Schlegell was hit by a pitch in the arm, driving in a run but injuring himself in the process. Reeder scored while Von Schlegell was relieved for a pinch runner. Jackson Rains ended the inning with a swinging bunt that was fielded by Eau Claire pitcher Ben Llewellyn. The Huskies trailed 12-6.

In the bottom of the eighth, Eau Claire earned those three runs right back as Hendrickson and Nick Mascaro singled in a trio of runners in back-to-back at-bats. In the top of the ninth, Llewellyn sat down Duluth in a one-two-three inning, sealing the game for the Express and ending what became a disappointing road trip for Duluth to begin the season.

On Deck

The Huskies fell to a 1-4 record on the season, last in the Great Plains East division. The Express moved into a tie for fifth in the division, matching the 2-3 record the Thunder Bay Border Cats hold. Duluth will play their home opener Saturday evening at historic Wade Stadium in the West Duluth neighborhood, first pitch scheduled for 5:35 p.m. Starter Nate Vidlak will have his first appearance on the mound this season, hoping to right the ship against a potent Eau Claire lineup in the second half of a home-and-home.



Northwoods League Stories from May 31, 2025


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