Early Surge Not Enough as Huskies Drop Road Finale to Eau Claire
Published on August 6, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Duluth Huskies News Release
EAU CLAIRE, Wisc. - The Duluth Huskies (12-21, 28-40) got off to a 3-0 lead thanks to a trio of solo homers in the second, but the Eau Claire Express (26-8, 44-23) reeled off nine unanswered runs to deal defeat to Duluth in its road finale.
Andrew Ermis pounded his second home run 430 feet to left-center field, Jack Haferkamp followed two batters later with his second jack of the season, and Finley Spicer concluded the parade of round-trippers with his first Northwoods League bomb. This all happened in a four-batter span in the top of the second, and Duluth looked set for an entertaining offensive day against Sawyer Hoffman.
Husky starter Nick Krautkremer stranded a pair of runners in the bottom of the second, as he had in the first. Hoffman rebounded with a scoreless third, and the baserunners finally caught up to Krautkremer in the last of that inning. A single and a hit-by-pitch set the stage for Matthew Maulik to tie the game with a moonshot to right field, and another plunking allowed Adam Salazar's home run to take the score to 5-3, Eau Claire.
Hollon Brock bounced a single into left to plate a sixth run in the fourth, and he did it again in the sixth to open up a 7-3 lead. Maulik homered again to lead off the seventh, marking the first time this season that Duluth has allowed two homers to the same batter. The nail in the coffin came in the eighth when a wild pitch allowed substitute Sawyer Stein to score, and Eau Claire shepherded its 9-3 lead over the line to win the season series over Duluth, seven games to five.
Hoffman earned the win with a quality start where he fanned nine, with the only runs he allowed coming on the second-inning homers. Two Eau Claire relievers saw out the win.
Isaiah Ibarra rapped out two hits in four at-bats. Ermis finished 3-for-4 with his furthest-hit ball of 2026.
Krautkremer ground through 5.0 innings of six-run ball in which he conceded six hits, three walks, and four hit-by-pitches. Jayden Andrade allowed a run in his inning of work, and Michael Zunker conceded two tallies in 2.0 innings.
On Deck
The Superior Cup is on the line tomorrow at Wade Stadium, as the Huskies host the Thunder Bay Border Cats. First pitch in Duluth is set for 6:35 p.m. If Duluth wins, they take the keepsake back for the first time since 2023, but if they lose, we go to a winner-take-all in the season finale on Saturday, a game which begins at 5:05 p.m. at the Wade.
Northwoods League Stories from August 6, 2026
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- Big Sticks Hold on against Willmar to Win Season Series - Badlands Big Sticks
- Rox Fall 5-2 to Mankato, Continue Homestand Friday with Post-Game Fireworks - St. Cloud Rox
- Early Surge Not Enough as Huskies Drop Road Finale to Eau Claire - Duluth Huskies
- Dock Spiders Rally Past the Mud Puppies - Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
- Eau Claire Claims Great Plains East Second Half Championship in 9-3 Victory - Eau Claire Express
- Rockford Falls in Game Two, Playoff Push Comes to an End - Rockford Rivets
- MoonDogs Quiet Rox to Take Series - Mankato MoonDogs
- Guerra Rewrites Record Book as Pit Spitters Sweep Rockford - Traverse City Pit Spitters
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- Lakeshore Chinooks and Madison Mallards Game Preview 8/6 - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Stingers Complete Comeback Win to Capture Second-Half Division Championship - Willmar Stingers
- Rockers Make One Final Trip to Witter Field - Green Bay Rockers
- Lakeshore Powered by Strong Pitching and Timely Offense in Crucial Win - Lakeshore Chinooks
- Pit Spitters Pull Away Early, Hand Rivets 11-4 Loss - Rockford Rivets
- Rockers Win Final Home Game - Green Bay Rockers
- Rox Fall 9-6, Continue Homestand Thursday - St. Cloud Rox
- Huskies Bats Quieted, Eau Claire Wins 5-1 - Duluth Huskies
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