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Eau Claire Express
Eau Claire Express Primary Logo.png Express Hat Logo Home.png
Team logo Cap insignia
Information
League Northwoods League (Great Plains East 2019-present)
(North Division 2014-2018)
(South Division 2005-2013)
Location Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Ballpark Carson Park
Year founded 2005
League championships 1 (2010)
Division championships 4 (2007, 2010, 2016, 2019)
Colors Tennesse Orange, Navy, Air Force Blue               
Ownership Craig Toycen, The Toycen Baseball Club, LLC
Management Sammi Costello,
Manager Dale Varsho,Vic Cable

The Eau Claire Express is a baseball team made up of college players. They play in the Northwoods League, which is a summer league for college athletes. Their home games are played at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

The team started in 2005. After two tough seasons, the Express began to shine in 2007. They won nine of their last ten games that year. This helped them finish with a great record of 42 wins and 26 losses. They also won their first division title and made it to the playoffs for the first time ever.

Playoff Journey in 2007

In the 2007 playoffs, the Express played against the Green Bay Bullfrogs. They won this series 2-1, which meant they were the South Division champions! This was another first for the team. Next, they faced the St. Cloud River Bats in the Northwoods League Championship Series. The River Bats were very strong and won the series 2-0.

Seasons of Growth and Challenges

The 2008 season was close, but the Express just missed the playoffs. They finished with a record that was one game below winning half their games. In 2009, the team had one of their best starts. They won the first half of the season, which got them into the playoffs again. However, injuries and players needing to attend summer school made the second half harder. They were knocked out of the playoffs by the La Crosse Loggers.

Championship Victory in 2010

The year 2010 was amazing for the Express! They won the first half of the season with a 22-12 record. They were even ranked as high as #3 nationally among summer college baseball teams. The team kept winning and ended up winning both halves of the season. Then, they went on to win the entire Northwoods League Championship! After this big win, they were ranked as the #1 summer college team in the nation.

Moving Divisions and More Playoff Runs

In 2014, the Express moved to the North Division. This happened because new teams joined the league in Kenosha, Wisconsin and Kalamazoo, Michigan.

The 2016 season was another strong year for the Express. They won the first half of the season and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. They beat the Mankato MoonDogs in the first round, even though they had a tough record against them earlier. Then, they traveled to St. Cloud and defeated the Rox in extra innings to win the North Division title!

In the 2016 Championship Series, the Express played against the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. The Rafters had the best record in the league. The Express lost a very close first game in the ninth inning. They then lost the second game at home, ending their successful season.

In 2022, the Eau Claire Express won the Great Plains East Division (second half). They had a record of 42 wins and 26 losses. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Duluth Huskies.

The Express made it back to the playoffs in 2023. They had a tough start, losing their first three games. But they quickly turned things around, winning the first half of the season. They clinched their playoff spot with a big 12-1 win over the Rochester Honkers. However, they were swept by the La Crosse Loggers in two games during the playoffs.

Team Performance Over the Years

This table shows how the Eau Claire Express has performed each season since they started.

Season Games Played Wins Losses Playoff Results
2005 68 28 40 Did not qualify
2006 67 29 38 Did not qualify
2007 68 42 26 Won South Div. Finals 6-3, vs. Green Bay Bullfrogs
Lost Championship 0-2, vs. St. Cloud River Bats
2008 68 33 35 Did not qualify
2009 68 36 32 Lost South Div. Finals 0-2, vs. La Crosse Loggers
2010 70 48 22 Won South Div. Finals 2-1 vs. Wisconsin Woodchucks
Won Championship 2-1, vs. Rochester Honkers
NORTHWOODS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
2011 70 36 34 Did not qualify
2012 70 26 44 Did not qualify
2013 70 33 37 Did not qualify
2014 72 36 36 Did not qualify
2015 71 29 42 Did not qualify
2016 72 45 27 Won North Div. Semi-Finals 1-0, vs. Mankato Moondogs
Won North Div. Finals 1-0, vs. St. Cloud Rox
Lost League Championship 0-2, vs. Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
2017 72 39 33 Lost North Div. Semi-Finals 0-1, vs. Mankato Moondogs
2018 71 28 43 Did not qualify
2019 72 40 32 Won Great Plains East Finals, 2-games-to-0 vs. Waterloo Bucks
Won Great Plains Finals, 2-0 vs. Willmar Stingers
Lost League Championship, 2-3 vs. Traverse City Pit Spitters
2020 0 0 0 Did not play due to the Covid-19 pandemic
2021 68 27 41 Did not qualify
2022 68 42 26 Lost Great Plains East Finals, 0-2 vs. Duluth Huskies
2023 67 36 31 Lost Great Plains East Finals, 0-2 vs. La Crosse Loggers
2024 70 35 35 Did not qualify

Express Players Who Made It to Major League Baseball

Many players who once played for the Eau Claire Express have gone on to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). This shows how talented the players in the Northwoods League are!

Here are some of the former Express players who reached the MLB:

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