The Chippewa River Baseball League is officially in the homestretch of its regular season following the league's all-star game Sunday.
Eleven teams are jockeying for position to set themselves up for success in next month's Wisconsin Baseball Association state playoffs.
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As the postseason approaches, here are three things to know about the CRBL as teams enter a sprint to the finish.
South continues all-star domination
The South Division once again emerged victorious in the league's all-star game Sunday at Casper Park, securing a 13-1 win.
Osseo slugger Ryan Freitag earned Most Valuable Player honors after finishing 3-for-4 with two home runs, five RBIs, four runs scored and a walk. It was the third time Freitag, a left-handed hitter, earned top honors against the Merchants. He also took home MVP in 2018 and 2022.
The win also continued a string of success for the South Division in the 69th edition of the league's summer showcase. The South Division has now won five in a row and nine of the past 10 showdowns between the two.
Chippewa River Baseball League All-Star Game at Casper Park 7-6-25
Chippewa Falls' Jake Nelson and Caleb Gardow celebrate at the end of an inning in Sunday's CRBL All-Star Game at Casper Park.
Clash atop divisions
With more than half of the regular season completed, the North and South Divisions each have contenders striving for four available playoff spots.
A pair of teams seeking their first division championships in years make up the top of the North Division.
The Cadott Red Sox (10-3) hold a one-game lead over the Chippewa Falls LumberJacks (10-5) entering the week. Cadott needs one more win to clinch the franchise's first winning season since 1985. It last played in the league championship game in 1983.
Cadott manager Rick Danielson believes his young roster has learned how to compete in the league following back-to-back 10-10 seasons the past two years as well as a 3-15 mark in 2022.
"They work really hard, they show up, they communicate really well," Danielson said. "They're just a great group of guys to manage."
But the Red Sox face a tough test from the LumberJacks, who defeated Cadott 8-5 on July 2 to move within a game of the top spot. Chippewa Falls last won the North title in 2013, more recently playing for the league championship in 2021. The two teams battle for the second time this season on Sunday in Cadott, after both teams host midweek matchups Wednesday.
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The Eau Claire Bears (13-2) enter the final five games of the regular season with a 2½-game lead over the Eau Claire Cavaliers (10-4) for first place in the South Division.
The Bears already own one win against the Cavs and host the second meeting between the two on July 23. The pair are also aiming to break Osseo's stronghold atop the South Division, as the Merchants have won the past seven division crowns.
Beyond the division champions, the two teams with the next-best records will each earn wild-card berths into the four-team single elimination postseason, which begins July 30. The championship game will be Aug. 2.
More than just playoffs remain
For several teams in the CRBL, the baseball season will not be over after a league champion is crowned in less than a month.
Most teams will compete in the statewide Wisconsin Baseball Association state tournament, which takes place in August. The CRBL qualified three of the eight teams for the Division A finals with Tilden finishing as the state runner-up to the River Falls Fighting Fish. Cadott and Chippewa Falls fell in the quarterfinals.
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Teams from the league have a strong track record of success in the state tournament with Tilden (2023), the Eau Claire Cavaliers (2019) and Osseo (2018) all winning titles within the past seven years. The CRBL schedule has been highly competitive again this season, and many in the league feel that the competitiveness could lead to state tournament success.
"You've got to show up, you've got to play hard because any team in the league can beat anyone right now in my opinion," Tilden manager Ryan Baier said. "It's great (because) come (the) WBA you play a great schedule for league ball and it's just going to get you ready for August."
IN PHOTOS: 69th Chippewa River Baseball League All-Star Game 7-6-25
Photos from Sunday's 69th edition of the Chippewa River Baseball League All-Star Game hosted at Casper Park in Chippewa Falls. The South Division won 13-1.
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