Trains Roll to Doubleheader Sweep, Reclaim Great Plains East Lead
Northwoods Eau Claire Express

Trains Roll to Doubleheader Sweep, Reclaim Great Plains East Lead

Published on July 28, 2026 under Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Eau Claire Express News Release


Thunder Bay, Canada - The Eau Claire Express fuels from offense, taking home a double header sweep against the Thunder Bay Border Cats on Monday.

The two wins against the Border Cats put the Express back on track, leading the Great Plains East Division, with an 18-6 second-half record.

Facing a weather delay after the first inning, the Trains and Border Cats were faced with a doubleheader instead. In game one of the doubleheader, the Express secured a 10-9 victory due to early offensive momentum in the first innings, with the support of a strong defense to hold on and close out the game with a win.

The Express started with a bang, securing five runs in the first inning with Jaxon Schumacher hitting a double near right field, bringing home Philip Cheong, who got on base due to a double, then Anthony Martinez, who was previously on base after being walked.

Quickly after Hollon Brock made it home for a 3-0 lead after Jake Busson hit a single to center field, followed by Schumacher making it home from a Sawyer Stein single base hit to center.

To close out the early 5-0 lead, Busson ran home following an Ethan Miller hit to shortstop that went down as a fielder's choice, for out number two.

Thunder Bay responded quickly with its own two runs, after the Express experienced some difficulty on the mound, with Imarion Stanberry facing two balks, before Tyler Bartley came in as a reliever.

However, not getting down and still holding a lead, the Express only grew, grabbing three more runs in the fourth inning due to Martinez hitting a three-run home run to left field.

The 9-2 lead over the Border Cats was quickly shortened as Thunder Bay came back, securing four runs of its own in the bottom of the fourth. The Trains rolled in with another run of their own at the top of the fifth inning to top their runs at 10 after Cheong crossed home plate on a Martinez single to center field.

With a first-half offensive momentum boost, the Trains relied more on defense for the second half of the game, only allowing in three more runs in the second half of the game, with Bartley and Warren Bowe working together from the mound, dishing out seven strikeouts between the two players and three walks.

The momentum kept flowing out in Thunder Bay, as the Express secured their second victory of the day against the Border Cats in a 7-2 defeat.

Eau Claire rolled out early again, securing two runs in the first inning, with an error on the third baseman bringing home Cheong, followed by Busson hitting a sacrifice fly to bring home CJ Varsho.

Thunder Bay responded with one run of its own, but the Express went off, securing five more runs in the second inning with AJ Marchetti and Mikey Muniz running home off a second baseman's error, followed by Cade Palkowski hitting a single to center field, bringing home Cheong. Finally, Varsho crossed home off a Hollon Brock single to left field.

The early offensive momentum was enough for the Express, securing seven runs on four hits and two errors, compared to the Border Cats' two runs on five hits and two errors.

Eau Claire will continue to take on the Thunder Bay Border Cats, but will now close the four-game series in Carson Park at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday.

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Northwoods League Stories from July 28, 2026


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