Month: July 2019

2019 CRBL Playoff Pairings

The Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) will host it’s playoff series starting Wednesday July 31st. Four teams have qualified for CRBL postseason play – Osseo Merchants (#1), Tilden Tigers (#2), Eau Claire Bears (#3) and Eau Claire Cavaliers (#4).

The Merchants will host the Cavaliers at 7:30 pm at Jon Soiney Memorial Field in Osseo. The Tigers will host the Bears at 7:00 pm at Casper Park in Chippewa Falls. Saturday’s championship game will be hosted by the higher seed at 12:30 pm on August 3rd. 

CRBL Championship

Wildcard Wednesday Championship Saturday
Eau Claire Bears 
July 31, 2019
5-11
Casper Park
Tilden Tigers
August 3, 2019
6-12
Jon Soiney Memorial Field
Tilden Tigers
 
Eau Claire Cavaliers
July 31, 2019
4-7
Jon Soiney Memorial Field
Osseo Merchants
 
Osseo Merchants
Wildcard Wednesday Championship Saturday Wildcard Wednesday
Eau Claire Bears Eau Claire Cavaliers
July 31, 2019
5-11
Casper Park
Tilden Tigers
July 31, 2019
4-7
Jon Soiney Memorial Field
August 3, 2019
6-12
Jon Soiney Memorial Field
Osseo Merchants
Tilden Tigers Osseo Merchants

The Osseo Merchants have won the past three CRBL championships and will have a chance to defend their title at home as the #1 seed.

CRBL 2019 All-Star’s Selected

The north and south participants for the Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) All-Star game have been selected by the 12 team managers. Hosted by the Cadott Red Sox at Cadott High School on July 7th at 1 pm, it represents the league’s 63rd all-star game. The Eau Claire Bear’s have the most players represented with nine players selected.

North All-Stars

PositionPlayerTeam
PCarl KrumenauerTilden Tigers
1BJon SchochTilden Tigers
2BAlex RuffTilden Tigers
CDrew SteinmetzTilden Tigers
PPJ LeQuia Tilden Tigers
OFCole ZwiefelhoferTilden Tigers
OFJordan SteinmetzTilden Tigers
OFLucas SteinmetzTilden Tigers
PPaul PetitEau Claire Cavaliers
DHTom MewhorterEau Claire Cavaliers
EHCole TymanEau Claire Cavaliers
Jake JennemanEau Claire Cavaliers
OFJordan WilsonEau Claire Cavaliers
CNoah LaneBloomer Woodticks
UTTanner LinsmeyerBloomer Woodticks
PCurtis DachelBloomer Woodticks
UTRyan JotenStanley Slammers
OFBrandon HerrickStanley Slammers
OFTony RileyCadott Red Sox
2BMike DanielsonCadott Red Sox
PBen PoppeCadott Red Sox
UTJustin MartellJim Falls Sturgeons
OFTristin HableJim Falls Sturgeons

North squad will be coached by Matt Miller (Eau Claire Cavaliers). Starting line-up to be determined at game time.

South All-Stars

PositionPlayerTeam
OFTy FadnessEau Claire Bears
DHSam JanniEau Claire Bears
PBlake JohnsonEau Claire Bears
OFTodd LasherEau Claire Bears
2BJeremy NicolaiEau Claire Bears
OFReed PechaEau Claire Bears
PChevy TollefsonEau Claire Bears
CJD PrescherEau Claire Bears
UTAlex JinkinsEau Claire Bears
PLogan BoettcherOsseo Merchants
PLuke EideOsseo Merchants
OFRyan FreitagOsseo Merchants
3BNeil MatsonOsseo Merchants
CTodd WienkesOsseo Merchants
OFJoel EffertzEau Claire Rivermen
CAndy NieseEau Claire Rivermen
PTyler GrayEau Claire Rivermen
SSDayton GutschEau Claire Rivermen
1BJordan HauserWhitehall Wolves
3BScott HovellWhitehall Wolves
2BNate PronchinskeWhitehall Wolves
PTroy SharpeWhitehall Wolves
UTJames GilbertsonAugusta Athletics
OFMatthew GilbertsonAugusta Athletics
PLogan BergBeef River Bullfrogs

South squad will be coached by Luke Anderson (Osseo Merchants). Starting line-up to be determined at game time.

Facts and Information

  • 63rd All-Star game in CRBL history
  • 47th match-up within the North vs. South format. The years for this series include: 1950, 52, 55-56, 67, 72-73, 84-2007, and 2009 to present.
  • The South leads the series 31 to 15.
  • The South won last year (2018) in Whitehall, 8 to 3. Ryan Freitag (OF/Osseo) was named MVP.
  • The EC Rivermen’s Andy Niese will be making his 20th All-Star game appearance, the most of anyone playing in this year’s contest, and tied for the most all-time in CRBL history with Bloomer legend Scott Stuckert.
  • Eau Claire Bear Todd Lasher will be making his 13th all-star game showing while teammates Brian Menard and Reed Pecha will each be making their 11th appearance each.
  • Augusta’s James Gilbertson will be appearing in his 10th CRBL All-Star game.
  • The first All-Star game in CRBL history took place in 1909 with the Eau Claire Giants beating the Chippewa Valley League All-Stars 1 to 0 at Driving Park in Eau Claire.
  • The last time Cadott hosted a CRBL All-Star game was in 1950. In that game, the North was victorious 9 to 0 over the South Division.
  • The Chippewa River Baseball League Hall of Fame will officially induct and recognize four more individuals at this year’s All-Star classic. This will bring the total to 72 members. That elite group represents just .576 of 1% of the estimated 12,500+ people that have been part of the league’s rich history.

First Half News & Notes

May 15th – Paul Petit (Eau Claire Cavaliers) throws a no-hitter and finishes with 16 strikeouts in a 19-0 win over the Cadott Red Sox. The game ended after 7 innings.

May 22nd – Logan Boettcher (Osseo Merchants) throws a no-hitter in a 14-0 win over Beef River Bullfrogs. The game ended after 7 innings.

May 22nd – Tyler Hermann (Eau Claire Cavaliers) goes 5 for 5 in a 12-2 win over the Jim Falls Sturgeons. 

June 15th – Logan Boettcher (Osseo Merchants) throws a one-hitter in a 17-0 win versus the Cadott Red Sox.

June 15th – Luke Eide (Osseo Merchants) throws a one-hitter in a 11-0 win against the Cadott Red Sox.

June 19th – Logan Boettcher (Osseo Merchants) throws a no-hitter in a 10-0 win over Whitehall Wolves.

June 23rd – Paul Petit (Eau Claire Cavaliers) throws a one-hitter against Beef River Bullfrogs in a 10-0 win.

Todd Lasher recorded his 400th hit in CRBL league play.

CRBL Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Selected

Four more Chippewa Rivers Baseball League (CRBL) players have been selected to enter the CRBL hall of fame on July 8th during the CRBL All-Star game at Cadott High School. First pitch is set for 12:30 pm and each recipient (one per inning) will be honored starting in the bottom of the 1st.

After the class of 2019, a total of 72 players hold the honor of being inducted into the CRBL hall of fame.

Rick Goettl

A right-handed pitcher, Rick Goettl was the ace of the memorable and dominant Cadott Red Sox teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s.After spending his first two CRBL seasons pitching a total of 30.1 innings with the Jim Falls Sturgeons, Goettl went to Cadott in 1977, where he would remain until the conclusion of his career in 1984.
Read Full Bio

George Jackson

A baseball lifer and longtime supporter of baseball in the Cadott area, George Jackson’s league career stretched across 33 years, four different teams, and the roles of both player and manager.Getting his start for Rainbow Gardens in 1946, George was the featured thrower for the Gardeners in the first two years of post-World War II baseball in the Chippewa Valley.
Read Full Bio

Steve Fetterly

Country strong from both the batter’s box and the pitcher’s mound, Steve Fetterly was a fearless competitor who played baseball with enthusiasm and intensity throughout his 12 seasons in the CRBL. Debuting with the Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks in 1995, “Fetters” hit .318 (7 for 22) and went 2 and 0 in 16 innings within a part-time capacity, gaining Honorable Mention All-CRBL honors at utility for the North Division champions.
Read Full Bio

Art Zwiefelhofer

Recalled as an accomplished player and well known as a highly respected umpire, few people have done more for the betterment and stability of the Chippewa River Baseball League than one Art Zwiefelhofer. Breaking in to the Chippewa Valley League in 1961, Art became known as a slick fielding and ultra-competitive shortstop for the Howard Braves.
Read Full Bio

From left to right: Rick Goettl, George Jackson, Steve Fetterly and Art Zwiefelhofer
Photos courtesy of The Chippewa Herald

2019 Candidates

Hank Ash – Pitcher

Cornell Mill Gang 1935-36; Cornell Hawks 1952-53; Lake Hallie Lakers 1954

Todd Bohl – Pitcher

Bloomer Merchants 1983-88

Jerry Dachel- Outfielder, Pitcher

Tilden Tigers 1967-78

Tom Drehmel – Outfielder

Fall Creek Mets 1967, 73; Lafayette Lakers 1968-73; Cadott Red Sox 1974-80

Steve Fetterly – Utility

Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1995-2004; Beef River Bullfrogs 2005-06; Augusta Athletics 2006

Rick Goettl – Pitcher

Jim Falls Sturgeons 1975-76; Cadott Red Sox 1977-84

Terry Hartman – Shortstop, 3rd Baseman

Jim Falls Sturgeons 1969-77

George Jackson – Outfielder, Pitcher, Manager

Player: Lafayette 1946; Rainbow Gardens Gardeners 1947, 53-54; Cadott Lions 1950-52, 56; Manager: Cadott Red Sox 1960, 67-68 Cadott Lions 1956; Cadott Red Sox 1957-60, 62-64, 68-70, 79

P.J. Johnson – Catcher

Eau Claire Pioneers 1990-91; Augusta Athletics 1992-95; Hallie Eagles 1996-98

George Lee – Pitcher

Northern Colony Colonists 1932-38, 40

Ray McIlquham – Catcher, Umpire

Player: Lafayette 1946; Lafayette Badgers 1948; Lafayette Giants 1949-50; Hamilton Chevrolets 1955-56; Lake Hallie Lakers 1957; Chippewa Falls Triangle Sports 1958; Seymour 1959; Cadott Red Sox 1961 Umpire: 1962-84

Mike Pearson – 3rd Baseman

Eau Claire Pioneers 1986; Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1987-92; Tilden Tigers 1998

Rich Rosenow – Pitcher

Lafayette Indians 1971-76

Adam Rothenbuhler – Pitcher, Designated Hitter

Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 2005; Beef River Bullfrogs 2009-11

Gary Rykal – Catcher

Cadott Red Sox 1961, 1965-78

Bill Schoch – Pitcher

Cooks Valley Hayshakers 1979-80; Tilden Tigers 1981-88

Bernie Seichter – Catcher

Boyd Bees 1953-54; Lake Hallie Lakers 1955-57

Jim Spaeth – Shortstop

Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1983-94

Gene Vavra – Catcher

Lafayette Braves 1956-70

Marty Webster – Pitcher

Cornell Merchants 1950; Cornell Hawks 1956-57, 60

Bob Wolfe – Outfielder, 3rd Baseman

Lafayette Braves 1953-59

Dennis Zech – Infielder

Lafayette Lakers 1981-93

Art Zwiefelhofer – Shortstop, Manager, Umpire

Player: Howard Braves 1961-64; Tilden Tigers 1965-83 Manager: Tilden Tigers 1980, 82-83 Umpire: 1984-2018

Jeff Zwiefelhofer – 1st Baseman

Cooks Valley Hayshakers 1977; Tilden Tigers 1979-87

Todd Zwiefelhofer – Pitcher, Infielder

Tilden Tigers 1991-97

To view the rules and criteria for HOF induction. The HOF began in 2009.