EAU CLAIRE, WI – AUGUST 4, 2007 – (stats) The final game of a six-game road trip did not go in the Woodchucks win column losing to the Eau Claire Express 4-3 for the second consecutive night. Trailing 4-0 in the seventh, the Chucks battled back into the ballgame plating three runs, but could not muster any more offense in the eighth or ninth innings.

A two run home run in the third started the scoring for the Express and they added one more that inning. Another run in the fifth proved to be enough offense for the Express to hold on for the win.

The Chucks scored three runs in the seventh on a wild pitch, a balk and a sacrifice fly by Darin Ruf (Creighton). Brandon Frazier (Texas-Wesleyan) led off the ninth with a push, bunt single and Sam Freeman (Marshall) moved him into scoring position with another solid bunt, but the next two batters struck out to end a possible Woodchuck comeback.

Jeremy Barnes (Notre Dame) finished with the only multi-hit game going 2-for-5 at the plate. The Chucks had one hit in each of the first five innings, but the Express bunch their hits together for more run production. 

Willie Kempf (Baylor) went five innings allowing four runs, two earned, and picked up the loss. Kempf struck out the first four batters he faced and ended with six K's. Adam Morrison (Garden City C.C.) tossed three innings of scoreless baseball striking out five in relief.

The loss drops the Chucks, 15-10 (31-28 overall),  two and half games out of first place with just eight games remaining. The Chucks will try to stop their losing ways against the Waterloo Bucks Sunday, August 5 at 5:05 back at "The Burrow".

NOTES: The Chucks have lost four straight games ... A thirty minute rain delay started at 9 p.m. during the Chucks seventh inning ... It was the first relief appearance for Morrison this season ... Three outfielders, Jordan Stine (UW-Whitewater), Tyrell Cummings (Seminole J.C.) and Matt Gantner (Hight Point), were not in uniform due to injuries ... The Chucks move to 3-5 versus the Express this season and 14-10 all-time ... Its the 27th one-run game the Chucks have played in this season, a league high, with a 12-15 record.