Express Hold On, Beat Huskies, 2-1, to Narrow Divisional Race
Northwoods Eau Claire Express

Express Hold On, Beat Huskies, 2-1, to Narrow Divisional Race

Published on August 2, 2025 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Eau Claire Express News Release


Eau Claire, Wis - Don't look now, but the Express are 1.5 games back of first place in the Great Plains East.

Saturday evening's series opener between Eau Claire and Duluth was set to be the biggest game of the season at Carson Park. It lived up to the billing. Every play mattered as the Express outlasted the Huskies for a 2-1 victory to close the division race by a full game.

Dawson Hargrove (Arkansas State) continued to impress for the Trains as he earned his second win of the season with five scoreless innings, only allowing two hits and two walks while striking out eight. The outing was Hargrove's third consecutive outing of at least five innings pitched with no runs given up.

While Hargrove kept the Duluth bats quiet, the offense grinded to earn the early lead. McGwire Turner (Montevallo) doubled to begin the second inning and moved to third base on a wild pitch, putting himself into position to start the game's scoring. Gabe Richardson (Minnesota-Duluth) did his job three batters later, elevating a ball to right field deep enough to bring Turner home on a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 advantage.

Manager Dale Varsho turned to the bullpen for the sixth inning, bringing Kenneth Fistler (Alma) into the game looking to keep the lead. The Canton, Mich., native was excellent, retiring nine of the first 10 batters he faced to hold the advantage as the offense continued to look for insurance.

Eau Claire finally did just that in the eighth inning with the help of the first error of the game by Huskies' shortstop Jake Downing. The mistake allowed Dante Vachini (Cal Poly) to reach second base to lead off the frame, and he eventually scored on an RBI single off the bat of Jake Busson (Illinois-Chicago). The run doubled the Express' lead and turned out to be crucial to the win.

Fistler stayed in the game for the ninth, his fourth inning of work. A leadoff hit-by-pitch gave Duluth hope, but Fistler worked a ground ball for a huge 6-4-3 double play. The Huskies persisted though, with Downing hitting a double off the left-field wall to bring the tying run to the plate. Nate Novitske singled to score him and pull Duluth within one, but another ground ball allowed Turner to step on second base to record the third out, lock down the victory and give Fistler the four-inning save.

Both teams head to Duluth Sunday for a massive matinee matchup at 3:05 p.m. A win would pull Eau Claire within half a game of the division lead.

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