The Thunder Bay Border Cats took their second game in two days from the Duluth Huskies.  The Border Cats won by a score of 4-3 in front of a crowd of 621 at Port Arthur Smith Stadium.  Zak Miller (New Mexico) threw 2.1 innings in relief of Thunder Bay starter John Tatum (McNeese State).  Miller struck out three while giving up two hits to get the win against Huskie starter Conner Hulse (Harvard).  Thunder Bay had three players with two-hit performances in A.J. Schugel (Central Arizona College) 2 for 3, Ty Wosleger (Fairfield) 2 for 3, and Nick Beamon (Ripon) 2 for 4.   Thunder Bay finishes their three game set with the Huskies Friday at 6:35 in Thunder Bay.

Waterloo kept the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters winless in their inaugural season by winning 4-3.  The Bucks put up four runs in the second inning against Rafters starter Damon McCormick (Valparaiso).  Waterloo starter Corey Witkowski (Barry) threw six innings giving up one earned run while striking out five.  The final three innings of scoreless baseball were thrown by Matt Grabowski (Princeton) who earned his first save of the 2010 season. 

Battle Creek earned their first win of the season against the Green Bay Bullfrogs winning 5-3 at Joannes Stadium.  The Bombers had Angelina College lefty, Kendall Thamm, throw 5.1 innings of two hit baseball.  Sean Deegan (Penn State) led Battle Creek from the lead-off spot going 3 for 3 and scoring two runs with two RBI.  John Morrison (Kellogg CC) earned the save for Battle Creek.  The Bombers have their home opener tomorrow against the Waterloo Bucks at 7:05 at C.O. Brown Stadium. 

The Wisconsin Woodchucks began season play at Athletic Park against the Madison Mallards.  Madison took the season opener last night by a score of 8-1.  The Mallards received solid pitching by Ryan Torgerson (Des Moines Area CC) who earned the win while Grant Gordon (Missouri State) was credited with the save.  Madison also got clutch hitting from first baseman Ryan Levine (Virginia) who had the go ahead RBI. 

The defending Northwoods League Champions Rochester Honkers took on the Mankato Moondogs in their home opener tonight at Mayo Field.  The game featured Minnesota State Mankato right handers Black Schwartz and Brett Mitchell.  The Honkers touched up Northern Sun Intercollegiate Pitcher of the Year, Schwartz, with twelve hits through six innings.  Bryan Lippincott (Concordia St. Paul) was a home run away from the cycle going 4 for 5 with four RBI for Rochester.  Brett Mitchell was in mid-season form throwing 7.1 innings and only giving up three hits.  Mitchell and Schwartz were the leaders of the MSU Mavericks pitching staff that led them to the D-II World Series in Cary, NC this past week.   

Field Manager Ryan Levendoski has the Brainerd Area Lakes Lunkers off to a hot 2-0 start by beating the Alexandria Beetles 2-1.  The Lunkers had a great pitching performance out of Brainerd native Nick Anderson (St. Cloud).  The 6’4’’ righty threw seven innings of four hit baseball while striking out four.  The Lunkers got a clutch hit from Jake McClain (Mayville State) that scored two to put Brainerd in the lead 2-1 in the second inning.  The Beetles take on the Lunkers at 7:05 tomorrow in Brainerd.   

The Eau Claire Express took on the La Crosse Loggers at Carson Park in front of 2,803 fans and gave the Express fans an offensive show.  Eau Claire won 14-0 against La Crosse after being shut out last night in La Crosse 4-0.  The Express scored in every inning but two and put up eight runs on Logger starter Tyler Farley (Jackson State CC).  Eau Claire pounded out five extra base hits led by Jacob Morris’ (Arkansas) two doubles and Andy Leonard ‘s (Illinois-Chicago) solo home run. 

The Willmar Stingers has their 2010 season opener and inaugural season NWL game at Bill Taunton Stadium against the St. Cloud River Bats.  1,547 fans came out to watch the Stingers and River Bats square off and witnessed a great NWL game.  Jason Van Skike (Indiana State) threw five innings earning the win and Joe Kurrasch (California) earned the save.  The Stingers had three players with two hit performances led by 2009 Under Armour All-American Isaac Ballou (Marshall) who went 2 for 3 with a run scored. 

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