The Thunder Bay Border Cats 7 game one victory over the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters. They would take the second game as well7 with a pair of major come backs. (Photo Courtesy of James Mirabelli Photography).

Huge offensive displays and key pitching from the back end of the bullpen sparked the Border Cats to a pair of victories over the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters in action at TBaytel Park on Thursday night. The first matchup was a continuation of a game that was rained out at Witter Field in Wisconsin, in which the Rafters (the home team for the first game) led 5-1 into the bottom of the 4th. The Border Cats offense though picked up 18 hits on the way to a 13-7 victory. They followed that performance up by making a 3-run and 4-run deficit disappear in winning an 8-7 night cap in seven innings.

In the continuation game, the Border Cats offense got hits from everyone in the order, including a 4-5 night out of Tyler Patterson (St. Cloud State) which included two RBI's and a two runs scored. Ty Blankmeyer (St. John's University) had a 3-6 night with two runs and an RBI. Christian Correa (Nicholls State) hit the game winning two-run home run in the 7th in a 1-3 night with two walks. Tyler Rolland (Southern Illinois) added a 2-6 night in front of Correa with two runs and two RBI's as well.

The Rafters offense seen a 4-5 game from Zack Domingues, who added a run and an RBI. Keelin Rasch had the other multi-hit game going 2-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Border Cats Reliever Devin McLemore (Winston Salem State) stormed through four innings of relief, collecting the win (3-3) retiring all eleven batters he faced, with a pair of strikeouts.

Justin Schander took the loss (0-3) for the Rafters.

The 7-inning night cap was a close one through and through with Thunder Bay topping the Rafters 8-7.

Four batters had multi-hit games for the Border Cats. The 1-2 punch in the order of Jordan Serena (Columbia University) and Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) was a menace both on the basepaths and at the plate. Both went 3-4, Serena with two runs, an RBI and three stolen bases, while Robson collected two RBI's, counted once and stole a base. Sal Taormina (Kean University) went 2-3 with a double, a run scored and a walk. Blankmeyer collected his 9th multi-hit game in his last 18 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.

Wisconsin Rapids had fantastic outings from the four through seven spots in the order which collectively went 9-16. Kirby McGuire was 3-3 to lead the way with two runs scored and a free pass. Keelin Rasch, Ricky Ramires and Tyler Servais all had two hit games with Sevais collecting a double and two RBI's, Rasch drove in one and everyone managed to scored once. Domingues again set the table going 2-3 with two walks and a stolen bag while Michael Jurgella was 1-3 with two RBI's on two sac fly's and a run scored.

Pitching at the back end again did the trick for the Border Cats as Reid Peavy (Northwestern State) pitched 2 2/3 of scoreless ball with two hits, two walks and a strikeout for the win (2-1). He managed his way out of a bases loaded jam in the 6th and stranded the tying run on third in the 7th for the victory.

Campbell Wear took the loss (0-1) for Wisconsin Rapids after going 1 2/3 allowing two hits and one run with a walk and a strikeout. Wear, who had not pitched all season long as he was a catcher had a fine performance for a shorthanded Rafters staff.

The Rafters and Border Cats do battle again on Friday night with first pitch set to fly at 7:05pm