Month: August 2023

Tilden Tigers win the 2023 WBA Title

Congratulations to the Tilden Tigers for winning the 2023 WBA Title with a 7-1 victory over the Everest Merchants.

  • It’s the third overall WBA Title for the Tilden Tigers
  • They won WBA Titles in 1995 and 2004
  • Mike Roiger Memorial Pitching MVP – Tanner Halvorson – Tilden Tigers
  • Burt Ekern Memorial Offensive MVP – Jordan Steinmetz – Tilden Tigers
  • Dick Leonhard Memorial Defensive MVP – Ben Steinmetz – Tilden Tigers

Tilden’s road to the WBA championship.

  • 8/12 – Tilden Tigers 12 / Elmwood Expos 3 (7 innings)
  • 8/13 – Tilden Tigers 13 / Marshfield Chaparrals 0 (7 innings)
  • 8/18 – Tilden Tigers 10 / Hudson River Rats 0 (7 innings)
  • 8/19 – Tilden Tigers 8 / Spooner Cardinals 7 (11 innings)
  • 8/20 – Tilden Tigers 12 / Osseo Merchants 2 (7 innings)
  • 8/20 – Tilden Tigers 7 / Everest Merchants 1

2023 Season Highlights & Milestones

  • Tilden rookie Brady Christianson threw the league’s 67th no-hitter on June 4th in a 5-inning, 14-0 victory over the Beef River Bullfrogs.
  • Alex Byom twirled the 68th no-hitter in CRBL history in Osseo’s 11-0, 5-inning win vs. Bloomer on June 11th. It was Byom’s league record 4th no-hitter.
  • Tyler Gray of the Eau Claire Rivermen spun the 15th shutout of his career on July 23rd in a 7-0 win vs. the Jim Falls Sturgeons. Gray currently ranks 3rd all-time in that category, tied with the Eau Claire Bears’ Chevy Tollefson. The all-time leader in CRBL shutouts is Jim Hoepner with 19.
  • Additionally, with 73 innings, 6 wins, and 9 decisions this season, Gray is now 2nd all-time in wins with 98, 2nd all-time in innings pitched with 1,146.2, as well as 2nd all-time with 157 decisions. The all-time leader in wins is CRBL Hall of Famer Jim Hoepner with 109 while fellow CRBL Hall of Famer Russ Nelson has the most decisions with 219 and the most innings pitched with 1,770.1.
  • With 59 frames this season, Bloomer’s Curtis Dachel moved into 6th place all-time in career innings pitched with 851.1.
  • Osseo’s Laidel Torres did not give up an earned run in 27 innings of work. The single-season ERA record is held by another Osseo pitcher – Jake Peterson – who had an ERA of 0.00 in 29 innings during the 2018 league season.
  • With 8 more long balls this year, Osseo’s Ryan Freitag now has 62 home runs in his outstanding CRBL career. The all-time leader in taters is Tilden legend Randy Baier with 83.
  • In the “rate’ stats area, Freitag is the all-time leader in on base percentage (.551), 2nd all-time in slugging percentage (.737), and 2nd all-time in OPS. (1.288). The all-time leader in slugging percentage is former Augusta Athletic masher Jeremiah Paulson with an .835 mark. Paulson is also the all-time leader in OPS., checking in with a 1.365 total.
  • The Eau Claire Bears’ Todd Lasher had 12 RBI’s this season, giving him 360 over his standout 22-season CRBL career, good for 2nd place all-time. The all-time leader in RBI’s is Bloomer icon Scott Stuckert with 365.
  • Moreover, with 3 doubles in 2023, Lasher also moved into 3rd place all-time in doubles with 90 two-baggers. The clubhouse leader is Niese with 111. (And) with 18 hits and 61 at-bats this season, the Bears’ outfielder is now 4th all-time in both categories, with 474 hits and 1,369 at-bats. The all-time leader in each is the Eau Claire Rivermen’s Andy Niese, who currently has 642 hits and 1,878 at-bats.
  • Longtime Eau Claire Bear Jim Thill had 10 hits this season, putting his career total at 403 and becoming just the 9th hitter in CRBL history to go over the 400-hit barrier.
  • By walking 14 times this season, Niese moved into 2nd place all-time in free passes with 359. The all-time leader is Tilden great Mitch Steinmetz with 374.
  • Eau Claire Rivermen player/manager Andy Niese became the first manager in CRBL history to record 200 managerial wins, with the milestone coming in a 6-2 victory vs. the Jim Falls Sturgeons in the second game of a doubleheader sweep on July 23rd.
  • Niese also has now managed 350 games over his 19 seasons as a player/manager, good for 2nd place all-time. CRBL Hall of Famer Scott Stuckert is the undisputed leader with an incredible 486 game managed over his venerable 27-seasons leading Bloomer.

CRBL Managers Select All-League Players

The Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) managers have voted and selected the 2023 all-league awards.

PositionPlayerTeam
OFTanner Halvorson*Tilden Tigers
OFJaxon KostkaOsseo Merchants
OFJack BoweChippewa Falls LumberJacks
3rd BaseGabe Richardson*Osseo Merchants
ShortstopNolan Hutzler*Chippewa Falls LumberJacks
2nd BaseCaden EricksonEau Claire Cavaliers
1st BaseBlake JohnsonEau Claire Bears
CatcherBobby SoranJim Falls Sturgeons
UtilityPJ LequiaTilden Tigers
DHRyan Freitag*Osseo Merchants
PitcherQuintin GonzalezEau Claire Bears
PitcherLuke Eide*Osseo Merchants
PitcherLucas CostleyEau Claire Cavaliers
*Unanimous Selection
  • Five unaimous selections – Luke Eide, Gabe Richardson, Nolan Hutzler, Tanner Halvorson and Ryan Freitag
  • Among the thirteen individuals selected for 2023 All-CRBL awards, there were nine first time award winners.
  • Two individuals were repeat winners from 2023.
  • The all-time leader in All-CRBL awards is the Eau Claire Rivermen’s Andy Niese with 13.
AwardPlayerTeam
Rookie of the YearHenry WilkinsonCadott Red Sox
MVPTanner HalvorsonTilden Tigers
Jim Hoepner – Pitcher of the Year*Luke EideOsseo Merchants
Jan Krueger – Manager of the YearRick DanielsonCadott Red Sox
Sportsmanship AwardBloomer Woodticks
*Inaugural Year
  • The Jim Falls Sturgeons and Bloomer Fighting Woodticks have the most CRBL Sportsmanship Awards of any team/organization with 10 each.

Honorable Mention All-CRBL

TeamPlayerPosition
Augusta AthleticsJJ BreakerUtility
Beef River BullfrogsWill ThibideauCatcher
Bloomer WoodticksConnor Hicks1st Base
Cadott Red SoxCole BakkumOF
Chippewa Falls LumberJacksJake Varsho2nd Base
Eau Claire BearsJoe HallingCatcher
Eau Claire CavaliersCooper Kapanke1st Base
Eau Claire RivermenBlake Loegering1st Base
Jim Falls SturgeonsAJ SchemenauerUtility
Osseo MerchantsAlex ByomPitcher
Tilden TigersCole ZwiefelhoferDH
  • Of the eleven individuals recognized with an Honorable Mention All-CRBL award, nine were first time selections
  • Tyler Gray’s seven Honorable Mention Awards are the CRBL record.

Gold Glove Awards

TeamPlayerPosition
Augusta AthleticsRyan StunkelCatcher
Beef River BullfrogsTaylor Rathke2nd Base
Bloomer WoodticksTyler PlitnzerCatcher
Cadott Red SoxZach Merritt3rd Base
Chippewa Falls LumberJacksTrevor FranzOF
Eau Claire BearsJoe HallingCatcher
Eau Claire CavaliersXavier BembnisterCF
Eau Claire RivermenLance LettnerCF
Jim Falls SturgeonsTristan HableCF
Osseo MerchantsTodd WienkesCatcher
Tilden TigersDrew SteinmetzSS
  • This is the third season for the CRBL’s Gold Glove Awards.
  • Of the eleven gold glove recipients, seven were first time winners and three were repeat winners.

Nine CRBL Teams Qualify for WBA Tournament

Nine Chippewa River Baseball League teams have qualified for the Wisconsin Baseball Association (WBA) Tournament that begins Aug 11th at five host sites.

  • Bloomer Woodticks
  • Cadott Red Sox
  • Chippewa Falls LumberJacks
  • Eau Claire Bears
  • Eau Claire Cavaliers
  • Eau Claire Rivermen
  • Jim Falls Sturgeons
  • Osseo Merchants
  • Tilden Tigers

See locations and pairings below. Follow score updates at the WBA Facebook Page or WBA website.

  • The first WBA tournament was held in 1949, making 2023 the 75th WBA tournament on record.
  • There were 48 teams associated with the WBA in 2023, all of which are located primarily in the northwestern part of Wisconsin.
  • 9 of the 11 teams in the CRBL made the tournament, a single-season record.
  • There have been nine WBA champions from the CRBL: Thorp Cardinals (1953), Augusta Atheltics (1994), Tilden Tigers (1995 & 2004), Eau Claire Bears (2005, 2008, 2009), Osseo Merchants (2018), and Eau Claire Cavaliers (2009).
  • Six regionals will be held on August 11-13 at the following locations: Augusta, Ellsworth, Hayward, River Falls, and Wisconsin Rapids.
  • Osseo and Tilden will be in Augusta. Chippewa Falls and Jim Falls will be in Hayward. Cadott and the Bears will be in River Falls. The Rivermen and Bloomer will be in Wisconsin Rapids. The Cavs will be in Ellsworth.
  • The finals will be held on August 18-20 at Merchant Park in Osseo and Carson Park in Eau Claire.