DULUTH, Minn. – Despite going down 4-0 after the first inning-and-a-half, the Duluth Huskies (14-16) rallied to defeat the Thunder Bay Border Cats (14-15) 7-5 and take the lead in the Superior Cup.

 

Manny Alberto led off the game with a single, and was swiftly brought home by Stevie Waters on a triple to right-center. Waters scampered home on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 after one. Starter Anthony Andrews was pushed to the brink in the second, allowing a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and an RBI single to Jacob Poletto. Waters chipped in again with a sacrifice fly, and the Cats led 4-0 before the Huskies could bat twice.

 

Duluth’s outlook completely changed in the bottom of the second. Thunder Bay starter Matteo Pare walked the first two hitters he saw in the frame, and Isaiah Ibarra registered his first Huskies hit to plate a run. Waylon Walsh recorded a productive groundout to score another, and scooted to third on a sharp double from Manny Dorantes. Walsh scooted home on another RBI groundout from Brayden Smith, and Blake Eckerle tied the game at 4-all with a double to the opposite field.

 

Andrews found himself in the third, setting down the side in order. His offense continued its surge, scoring in the bottom of the third when Jalen Smith and Anthony Cepeda singled to start the inning and Walsh again did his job with an RBI groundout. Andrews threw a flawless fourth and fifth, and got more run support in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dax Hardcastle ate a hit-by-pitch to lead off the inning, and Cepeda singled and took second on the throw, setting up second and third and one out. The unselfish baseball continued for Duluth, as Ibarra rapped an RBI ground ball to short. Walsh followed with a third RBI in as many plate appearances, but this time it came via a line-drive knock to right.

 

Andrews worked around two singles to post a scoreless sixth, and his reliever Jacob Boland continued the pitching excellence with perfect seventh and eighth stanzas. Boland conceded a triple and then a run in the ninth, but wrapped up the game by freezing Alberto with a slider to complete the victory for the comeback canines. The result takes the Superior Cup tally to Duluth 3, Thunder Bay 2.

 

Andrews completely turned his day around and finished with 6.0 respectable innings and a win. The righty allowed five hits and four runs, but fanned six and allowed just two baserunners in the final 4.2 innings he worked. Boland was razor-sharp in earning the save, allowing just one hit over 3.0 innings while punching out five. Over the final 7.2 innings of the game, Thunder Bay was held to three hits and struck out nine times.

 

Eckerle recorded a 2-for-3 line, walking twice and driving in a run. Jalen Smith was 2-for-3 with a walk and a pair of runs. Cepeda reached all four times he came to the plate, carding two of the following: singles, walks, and runs. Ibarra drove in a pair of runs, while Walsh did him one better with three ribbies.

 

On Deck

The Huskies look for their first series sweep of the season tomorrow at home against Thunder Bay. That game will begin at 6:35 p.m. Duluth then welcomes the Waterloo Bucks to town for two, before concluding the first half with another series with the Border Cats, this time on the road.