Category: News

Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) news, highlights and everything associated with the CRBL.

CRBL All-Stars Selected for July 3rd Game

The Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) managers have selected the 2026 North and South All-Star teams. The CRBL All-Star game will be hosted by the Augusta Athletics on Friday, July 3rd at Jan Krueger Memorial Field at 7:00 pm. The 2026 Hall of Fame Class will be inducted during the game.

The Chippewa Falls LumberJacks players declined to participate in CRBL All-Star game.

North Roster

Starters
Pitcher – PJ Lequia – Tilden
Catcher – Adam Krajewski – Tilden
1B – Colton Turner – Jim Falls
2B – Jake Lequia – Tilden
SS – Mayson Tester – Jim Falls
3B – Nolan Baier – Tilden
LF –  Logan Burzynski – Cadott
CF – Jordan Steinmetz – Tilden
RF – Jack Redwine – Cadott
EH – Cole Zwiefelhofer – Tilden
DH – Brayden Hagemann – Jim Falls

Reserves
Pitcher – Jackson Gugel – Jim Falls
Pitcher – Brady Johnson – Jim Falls
Pitcher – Jesse Urbanek – Tilden
Pitcher – Zack Thiesse – Cadott
Pitcher – Chase Watkins – Cadott
Catcher – Bobby Soran – Jim Falls
1B – Nolan Wysocki – Bloomer
2B – Jace Cota – Jim Falls
3B – Carter Stelter – Jim Falls
OF – Luke Erickson – Cadott
OF – Jay Ryder – Bloomer
OF – Karson Bowe – Jim Falls
EH – Tony Riley – Cadott
Connor Hicks – Bloomer

South Roster

Starters
Pitcher – Andrew Milner – EC Cavaliers
Catcher – Sam Knickerbocker – EC Cavaliers
1B – Logan Hesselman – EC Cavaliers
2B – Hayden Gustafsen – Augusta
SS – Caden Erickson – EC Cavaliers
3B – Tyler Plitzner – EC Bears
OF – Nolan Matson – Osseo
OF – Trenton Palmer – EC Cavaliers
OF – Chris Killan – Whitehall
EH – Ryan Freitag – Osseo
DH – Ryan Gray – Beef River

Reserves
Pitcher – Cole Stensen – Augusta
Pitcher – Tyler Webb – Whitehall
Pitcher – Tyler Gray – EC Bears
Pitcher – Ty Fjelstad – Beef River
Pitcher – Alex Byom – Osseo
Catcher – Jordan Hauser – Osseo
1B – JJ Breaker – Augusta
2B – Hayden Gustafsen – Augusta
3B – Lucas Johnson – Beef River
OF – Lance Lettner – EC Bears
OF – Brayton Thillman – EC Cavaliers
OF – Joe Halling – EC Bears
OF – Todd Lasher – EC Bears (Honorary)
EH – Jerome Delikowski – EC Cavaliers
Alex Sartor – Whitehall

Rosters Subject to Change

Season Preview – 2026 Campaign

98th Season of CRBL Baseball

Summer baseball returns to western Wisconsin as the Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) gears up for its 98th season—another chapter in one of the state’s longest-running amateur circuits. With a full slate of games, traditional rivalries, and midweek showdowns, 2026 promises the same blend of small-town pride and high-level competition that defines CRBL baseball.

The CRBL season once again stretches from late April into early August, featuring a mix of:

  • Weekend doubleheaders (7-inning games)
  • Midweek night games under the lights
  • A balanced schedule across divisions

Like recent seasons, teams will navigate a packed schedule of over 100 total league games, building toward the postseason in early August.

⭐ Key Dates

  • All-Star Game: July 3rd, 2026 at Jan Krueger Memorial Field. First Pitch at 7:30 pm.
    • Hosted by the Augusta Athletics
  • Wednesday, July 29th – Wildcard Wednesday
  • Saturday, August 1st– Championship Saturday

🏟️ Teams to Watch

The CRBL remains split into competitive divisions featuring a mix of perennial contenders and rebuilding clubs.

🔥 Contenders

  • Osseo Merchants – Consistently among the league’s elite, the Merchants have been a powerhouse with strong regular-season success in recent years.
  • Tilden Tigers – A proven winner with championship pedigree, known for pitching depth and disciplined play.
  • Eau Claire Cavaliers – Dangerous in postseason formats, capable of upsetting top seeds.

👀 Rising & Rebounding Clubs

  • Chippewa Falls LumberJacks – Always competitive and tough at home.
  • Cadott Red Sox – Offensive firepower makes them a threat in any series.
  • Whitehall Whitetails – A newer addition that has quickly found its footing.

🔄 Looking to Climb

  • Augusta Athletics – Hosting the All-Star Game adds excitement; they’ll look to turn that spotlight into momentum.
  • Bloomer Woodticks, Beef River Bullfrogs, and Jim Falls Sturgeons – Each aiming to take a step forward in a deep league.

A Chat with Longtime CRBL’er Luke Anderson

Question: How long have you been associated with the CRBL?

Answer: I have been connected to the CRBL for almost 20 years; Two as a player, 16 years as a manager/GM, and two years as a CRBL board member.

Question: What are your early memories of the CRBL and how did you ever get started in the league?

Answer: I was a fan of the league even before the Merchants organization started up. I grew up playing baseball with my cousin Jeremiah Paulson. We lived one mile apart and got together almost daily to throw the ball around. He would later go on to greatness with Augusta and the Cavaliers.

Question: How well does the Osseo community support the Merchants. 

Answer: After years of planning, a group of local baseball enthusiasts from Osseo started the Merchants. Many businessmen and community members had a hand in starting the team and building our ballpark.

The Osseo community has been there for the organization from day one. They have supported the team in person, and financially. Anybody who has tried to run a team knows you can’t do it alone. I remember the excitement of playing for a team run by Rocky Thompson and Brandt “Dusty” Freitag. They taught the finer points of the game, which helped me when I became the coach. It’s hard to keep players on the roster if they aren’t having fun.

Question: Have you had family members play or manage in the CRBL?

Answer: Yes, my cousin Jeremiah Paulson, a CRBL Hall of Famer.

Question: What are some of your fondness memories of playing or coaching in the league?

Answer: I enjoyed the excitement surrounding the team as we went from a mediocre squad fighting to be playoff eligible to a perennial powerhouse and eventually State Champions in 2018 on our home field.

Question: What are the biggest changes you seen over your tenure as a player, coach and now a board member of the league?

Answer: I have seen the league evolve over the years. In the early 2000’s the change was made to wooden bats, and the games were impacted immediately. Scoring came down. Pitching and defense became more important. No more 20-15 games.  An improvement in my opinion. There is a lot more player movement now than there used to be. Not necessarily a bad thing. Teams struggle to find enough eligible players to fill out their roster, and the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

The past 10 years have shown this league is one of the best in the state. I don’t see that changing.

Question: How do you see the CRBL moving in the future?

Answer: I think moving forward the CRBL will be in good shape as long as young men don’t lose their love for baseball, and guys continue to spend their summers donating their time to this game.

2026 CRBL Schedule Released

The Chippewa Rivers Baseball League (CRBL) has revealed the 2026 season schedule. Five teams will compete in the North Division and six teams will compete in the South Division. The 110-game season will see each CRBL team play a 20-game schedule starting Sunday, April 26th. The 2026 season will mark the 98th season of league play.

Notable Schedule Dates

  • Sunday, April 26th – Opening Day
  • Friday, July 3rd – CRBL All-Star Game hosted by the Augusta Athletics at Jan Krueger Memorial Field, 7:30 pm (Hall of Fame Classes of 2026 to be honored)
  • Wednesday, July 29th – Wildcard Wednesday
  • Saturday, August 1st– Championship Saturday

All weekday games begin at 7 pm (unless otherwise noted). All weekend games begin at 12:30 pm (unless otherwise noted). Follow www.crblbaseball.com all season long for scores, standings and schedule changes.

Each teams individual 2026 schedule can be found at their team page:

NOTE: Schedule Subject to Change

2026 Hall of Fame Class Announced

The CRBL Hall of Fame committee has selected the 2026 class. Five will be honored at the 2026 CRBL All-Star game, hosted by the Augusta Athletics. Date and time still to be determined.

The 2026 class is listed below. Biographies of each player to be completed by league VP Keith Pitsch.

  • Mike Gilbertson
  • Duane Ives (Current Augusta Athletics Manager)
  • Matt Korger
  • Scott Sorenson
  • Denny Whiteside

2025 CRBL Website Info

How Ballplayers and Fans Used the CRBL Website

  • Total Visitors – 16,410 (up 49.28% from 2024)
  • Total Page Views – 150,750 (up 27.83% from 2024)
  • Most Users in One Day – Sunday, June 1st – 260
  • Most Page Views in One Day – Sunday, June 1st – 2,233

Most Popular Pages in 2025 (Excludes Homepage)

League Leaders for 2025 Season

View all the hitting and pitching Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) statistical league leaders for the 2025 season.

CRBL Hitting Leaders

PlayerTeamHABAVG (min 42 AB’s)
Jordan SteinmetzTilden Tigers2443.558
Luke EricksonCadott Red Sox 2757.474
Jack GormanTilden Tigers2553.472
Sam FeckCadott Red Sox2043.465
Sam KnickerbockerEau Claire Cavaliers2963.460
Xavier BembnisterEau Claire Cavaliers2759.458
Logan BurzynskiCadott Red Sox3475.453
Nolan MatsonOsseo Merchants3070.429
Sawyer SteinChippewa Falls LumberJacks1842.429
Blake JohnsonEau Claire Bears2152.404
PlayerTeamAB
Logan BurzynskiCadott Red Sox75
Jace CotaJim Falls Sturgeons74
Cole BakkumCadott Red Sox73
Nolan MatsonOsseo Merchants70
Jake VarshoChipppewa Falls LumberJacks68
PlayerTeamHits
Logan BurzynskiCadott Red Sox34
Nolan MatsonOsseo Merchants30
Sam KnickerbockerEau Claire Cavaliers29
Jace CotaJim Falls Sturgeons28
Xavier BembnisterEau Claire Cavaliers27
Luke EricksonCadott Red Sox27
PlayerTeam2B
Liam BrennanJim Falls Sturgeons7
Nolan MatsonOsseo Merchants6
Jace CotaJim Falls Sturgeons6
Luke EricksonCadott Red Sox6
Jack RedwineCadott Red Sox6
PlayerTeam3B
Brayton ThillmanEau Claire Cavaliers3
Josh HallingEau Claire Bears2
Jim ThillEau Claire Bears2
Jordan SteinmetzTilden Tigers2
PlayerTeamHR
Sam FeckCadott Red Sox4
Luke EricksonCadott Red Sox3
Ryan FreitagOsseo Merchants3
Jonah HansonCadott Red Sox3
Caleb GardowChippewa Falls LumberJacks3
AJ SchemenauerJim Falls Sturgeons3
PlayerTeamRBI’s
Logan BurzynskiCadott Red Sox25
Luke EricksonCadott Red Sox24
Sam FeckCadott Red Sox21
Carter StelterJim Falls Sturgeons21
Jack RedwineCadott Red Sox20
Jack GormanTilden Tigers20
PlayerTeamR
Luke EricksonCadott Red Sox25
Ryan FreitagOsseo Merchants24
Jordan SteinmetzTilden Tigers23
Jack RedwineCadott Red Sox22
Cole BakkumCadott Red Sox22
PlayerTeamSB
Xavier BembnisterEau Claire Cavaliers14
Ryan CasimierEau Claire Bears11
Vinnie FontiEau Claire Bears10
Trenton DahnertAugusta Athletics9
Josh HallingEau Claire Bears8
PlayerTeamGP
Liam BrennanJim Falls Sturgeons20
Logan BurzynskiCadott Red Sox20
Mason TesterJim Falls Sturgeons20
Nolan MatsonOsseo Merchants20
Carter HesselmanCadott Red Sox20
Devon McCuneWhitehall Whitetails20
Connor HicksBloomer Woodticks20
Jake VarshoChippewa Falls LumberJacks20
Brennan KingAugusta Athletics20
There were 260 recorded players in CRBL play for 2025. From that group, only the nine players listed above played in all 20 league games this season.
TeamHitsAB’sAVG
Cadott Red Sox225626.359
Eau Claire Cavaliers211669.315
Eau Claire Bears188632.297
Tilden Tigers180609.296
Chippewa Falls LumberJacks173597.290
Jim Falls Sturgeons174601.290
Osseo Merchants175605.289
Augusta Athletics138561.246
Beef River Bullfrogs134549.244
Bloomer Woodticks127549.231
Whitehall Whitetails115582.198

CRBL Pitching Leaders

PlayerTeamERIPERA (min 20 IP)
Luke EideOsseo Merchants448.00.58
Andrew MilnerEau Claire Cavaliers853.21.34
Will JacobsonJim Falls Sturgeons842.11.70
Gio BasileCadott Red Sox631.21.71
Alex ByomOsseo Merchants9361.75
Tyler WebbWhitehall Whitetails1045.11.99
Jack GablerCadott Red Sox5212.14
Aiden EckerEau Claire Cavaliers729.12.15
Brandon SyllaWhitehall Whitetails10392.31
Tyler GrayEau Claire Bears7252.52
PlayerTeamIP
Tyson LucasChippewa Falls LumberJacks74.1
Andrew MilnerEau Claire Cavaliers53.2
Jesse UrbanekBloomer Woodticks50.2
Luke EideOsseo Merchants48.0
Wesley BoyarskiBeef River Bullfrogs45.2
PlayerTeamW
Tyson LucasChippewa Falls LumberJacks7
Andrew MilnerEau Claire Cavaliers6
Luke EideOsseo Merchants5
Zach ThiesseCadott Red Sox5
four tied with4
PlayerTeamK
Tyler WebbWhitehall Whitetails72
Andrew MilnerEau Claire Cavaliers67
Luke EideOsseo Merchants65
Tyson LucasChippewa Falls LumberJacks61
Aaron SkrypekEau Claire Bears58
PlayerTeamSaves
Alex ByomOsseo Merchants2
nine tied with 1
PlayerTeamWHIP (min 20 IP)
Luke EideOsseo Merchants0.646
Andrew MilnerEau Claire Cavaliers0.969
Aiden EckerEau Claire Cavaliers0.989
Tyler WebbWhitehall Whitetails1.037
Devon McCuneWhitehall Whitetails1.050
TeamERIPERA
Osseo Merchants39151.11.80
Cadott Red Sox401442.50
Eau Claire Bears45159.22.54
Eau Claire Cavaliers591633.26
Whitehall Whitetails58152.13.43
Chippewa Falls LumberJacks661444.13
Jim Falls Sturgeons701474.27
Tilden Tigers80146.14.92
Beef River Bullfrogs1311358.73
Bloomer Woodticks158135.210.52
Augusta Athletics170136.211.20

All-League Awards Handed Out

The Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) managers have voted and selected the 2025 all-league awards.

PositionPlayerTeam
OFLuke EricksonCadott Red Sox
OFJordan SteinmetzTilden Tigers
OFRyan FreitagOsseo Merchants
3BWill ThibodeauBeef River Bullfrogs
SSCarter HesselmanCadott Red Sox
2BReilly GapinskiEau Claire Cavaliers
1BSam FeckCadott Red Sox
CSam KnickerbockerEau Claire Cavaliers
UTNolan MatsonOsseo Merchants
DHLiam Brennan Jim Falls Sturgeons
PLuke EideOsseo Merchants
PAndrew MilnerEau Claire Cavaliers
PGio BasileCadott Red Sox
  • Luke Eide was the only unanimous selection
  • Knickerbocker, Freitag and Eide are repeat winners.
  • The all-time leader in All-CRBL awards is Andy Niese with 13.

Honorable Mention All-CRBL

TeamPlayerPosition
Augusta AthleticsTrenton DahnertOF
Beef River BullfrogsWes BoyarskiP
Bloomer WoodticksPatrick CallaghanOF
Cadott Red SoxLogan BurzynskiOF
Chippewa Falls LumberJacksTyson LucasP
Eau Claire BearsAaron SkrypekUT
Eau Claire CavaliersXavier BembnisterUT
Jim Falls SturgeonsWill JacobsonP
Osseo MerchantsJesse BrockmanSS
Tilden TigersLucas SteinmetzOF
Whitehall WhitetailsTyler WebbP
  • Brockman and Bembnister are repeat winners.

Gold Glove Awards

TeamPlayerPosition
Augusta AthleticsCole Stenson2B
Beef River BullfrogsKyle MaugOF
Bloomer WoodticksThomas StoffelSS
Cadott Red SoxCarter HesselmanSS
Chippewa Falls LumberJacksCJ VarshoOF
Eau Claire BearsJosh HallingOF
Eau Claire CavaliersBrayton ThillmanOF
Jim Falls SturgeonsCarter Stelter3B
Osseo MerchantsJoe Zawacki1B
Tilden TigersBen SteinmetzOF
Whitehall WhitetailsDevon McCuneOF
  • This is the fifth season for the CRBL’s Gold Glove Awards.

Other CRBL Awards

AwardPlayerTeam
Rookie of the YearJack GormanTilden Tigers
MVPLuke EricksonCadott Red Sox
Jim Hoepner – Pitcher of the YearLuke EideOsseo Merchants
Jan Krueger – Manager of the YearRick DanielsonCadott Red Sox
Sportsmanship AwardBloomer Woodticks
  • Luke Eide has won back-to-back Pitcher of the Year awards.
  • The Bloomer Woodticks have the most CRBL Sportsmanship Awards of any team with 12.

League Championship Set

  • #1 Seed – Cadott Red Sox
  • #2 Seed – Eau Claire Bears
  • #3 Seed – Eau Claire Cavaliers
  • #4 Seed – Chippewa Falls LumberJacks

  • Saturday, August 2nd, 12:30 pm – Location TBD.
  • It’s the first time Cadott has qualifed for the league championship since it was instituted in 2014.
  • The CRBL Championship has been won by seven division champs and three wildcards.
  • The Tilden Tigers have won a league record 19 league championships and has made a record 39 appearances in the championship game. The Tigers’ first year of league play was 1946.
  • It’s the first time since 2018 Tilden has not qualified for CRBL Championship.
  • The next closest franchise is the Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks with 7 CRBL crowns.
  • CRBL Hall of Famer Shane Dutton is the only player to win multiple championship game MVP awards, doing so for Augusta in 1998 and 1999. The award has been given annually since 1998.
  • The first championship “contest” was a series, taking place in 1928 when the Eagleton Eagletons beat Eau Claire Union 2 games to 0.
  • Including 2025, this is the 97th season of play in CRBL history. Within that time frame, there have been 12 championship series. This Saturday marks the 62nd championship game.

CRBL Managers Select All-Star Teams

The Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) managers voted and selected the 2025 North and South All-Star teams. The CRBL All-Star game will be hosted at Casper Park by the Tilden Tigers on Sunday, July 6th at 2 pm. The 2025 Hall of Fame Class will be inducted during the game.


North All-Stars

PositionPlayerTeam
CJonah HansonCadott Red Sox
1BSam FeckCadott Red Sox
2BJack KeinCadott Red Sox
3BCarter StelterCadott Red Sox
SSJake VarshoChippewa Falls LumbjerJacks
OFJordan SteinmetzTilden Tigers
OFLuke EricksonCadott Red Sox
OFLogan BurzynskiCadott Red Sox
DHCole ZwiefelhoferTilden Tigers
EHCole BakkumCadott Red Sox
PTyson LucasChippewa Falls LumberJacks
PGio BasileCadott Red Sox
PWill JacobsonJim Fall Sturgeons
PZach ThiesseCadott Red Sox
PPJ LequiaTilden Tigers
PJesse UrbanackBloomer Woodticks
CCaleb GardowChippewa Falls LumberJacks
1BJacob LacyTilden Tigers
2BJake NelsonChippewa Falls LumberJacks
SSCarter HesselmanCadott Red Sox
3BMatt MartineauChippewa Falls LumberJacks
OFLiam BrennanJim Falls Sturgeons
OFPatrick CallaghanBloomer Woodticks
OFJack RedwineCadott Red Sox
EHCorey PoirierBloomer Woodticks
The North will be managed by Nolan Hutzler (Chippewa Falls LumberJacks)
*Rosters subject to change*

South All-Stars

PositionPlayerTeam
CSam KnickerbockerEau Claire Cavaliers
1BBlake JohnsonEau Claire Bears
2BWill ThibodeauBeef River Bullfrogs
3BTyler PlitznerEau Claire Bears
SSHunter GuentherEau Claire Bears
OFJosh HallingEau Claire Bears
OFVinne FontiEau Claire Bears
OFAshton CrowellEau Claire Cavaliers
DHSawyer SturzEau Claire Bears
EHRyan FreitagOsseo Merchants
PAndrew MilnerEau Claire Cavaliers
PTy WebbWhitehall Whitetails
PBrandon SyllaWhitehall Whitetails
PAaron SkrypekEau Claire Bears
PLuke EideOsseo Merchants
PTyler GrayEau Claire Bears
CNolan MatsonOsseo Merchants
1BLogan HesselmanEau Claire Cavaliers
2BJim ThillEau Claire Bears
3BXavier BembnisterEau Claire Cavaliers
SSJesse BrockmanOsseo Merchants
OFBrayton ThillmanEau Claire Cavaliers
OFAlex ByomOsseo Merchants
OFDevon McCuneWhitehall Whitetails
The South will be managed by Aaron Hagberg (Osseo Merchants)
*Rosters subject to change*

  • 69th All-Star game
  • The South leads the series 35-16
  • The South won the last meeting 2-0 on July 6th at Grudem Field, hosted by Jim Falls Sturgeons.