Fadness Helps Eau Claire Express To Northwoods League Title

UW-Oshkosh's Nolan Fadness tallied two hits and three runs batted in as the Eau Claire Express captured the Northwoods League Championship on Sunday (Aug. 22) at Carson Park in Eau Claire.

The Express (48-22) posted a 9-1 victory over the Rochester Honkers (Minn.) to win the championship series, two games to one.

Fadness, who enters his senior season at UW-Oshkosh, hit .286 (4-14) during the championship series with four runs batted in and three runs scored. In the decisive third game, Fadness ripped a two-run single in the sixth inning and a run-scoring triple in the seventh.

Fadness recorded two hits, two runs scored and one run batted in as Eau Claire took the first game of the championship series by a 6-0 score on Aug. 20. Fadness then went hitless in five plate appearances on Aug. 21 as Rochester battled back to even the series with an 11-0 triumph.

Fadness played in 52 games for the Express this past season and ranked fifth in the wooden-bat league with 47 runs scored. He also compiled a .305 (61-200) batting average with two home runs, two triples, five doubles, 20 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases.

The two-time Northwoods League All-Star also played in 60 games for Eau Claire in 2009. Fadness helped the Express to a 36-32 record that season by hitting .317 (73-230) with six doubles, 50 runs scored, 24 runs batted in and 28 stolen bases.

This past spring, the Eau Claire native hit .352 (51-145) for UW-Oshkosh with a WIAC-record nine triples. In addition to putting together a 23-game hitting streak and leading the WIAC with 24 stolen bases, Fadness scored 53 runs, drove in 33 runs and belted four home runs.

During his 115-game career at UW-Oshkosh, the three-time All-WIAC first team selection has hit .338 (153-453) with six hme runs, 19 doubles, 13 triples, 136 runs scored, 77 runs batted in and 47 stolen bases.