THUNDER BAY, Ontario – An offensive outburst led by Jalen Smith’s two-homer, seven-RBI afternoon led to an 11-6 victory for the Duluth Huskies (12-16) in a game against the Thunder Bay Border Cats (14-14) that was shortened to five innings due to sustained rain.
The Huskies got off on a good foot with a George McIntyre double to lead off the game. Brayden Smith reached on an error, and Jalen Smith brought both runners home by swatting a three-run home run to the opposite field. Thunder Bay wasn’t interested in trailing, however, and the Border Cats tied the game after the first thanks to Alex Kean tripling in a pair and scoring on a passed ball.
Jalen Smith wasn’t done with just one, as a Waylon Walsh walk and another knock from McIntyre set up the big first baseman again with two on. Smith pulled a towering round-tripper to right, his eighth of the season (tied for the league lead). Duluth had more scoring in the hopper – Dax Hardcastle rapped a single to left, Reagan Reeder reached on a bunt hit, and Blake Eckerle doubled in Hardcastle. Anthony Cepeda completed a run of five straight two-out hits with an RBI single to right that took the score to 9-3. Thunder Bay scratched across two runs in the bottom of the second without the benefit of a hit, as two Duluth miscues allowed the Border Cats to cut their deficit to 9-5.
Husky starter Easton Miller was chased in the third after allowing a double and RBI single to start the inning. Cal Cooper came in and did not allow any further damage, keeping the tally at 9-6, Duluth. The fourth was scoreless for both red-hot offenses, but Duluth scored once again in inning number five. Anthony Cepeda knocked out his second hit, and was plated by Max Berrisford’s RBI single up the middle. An infield hit and a hit-by-pitch juiced the bases, and Jalen Smith registered his seventh RBI in five innings with a bases-loaded walk that took the lead to 11-6.
The two teams played through rain until the bottom of the sixth, when the game was finally delayed due to rain. After multiple hours of waiting, the contest was finally called earl and the Huskies were given a victory.
Jalen Smith put a week’s worth of production into half a game of action. The first baseman recaptured a share of the league home run lead at time of writing with his two-jack Sunday giving him a total of eight. Smith also extended his solo lead atop the RBI column, driving in a Husky season high seven runs to get to 37 on the year. McIntyre posted a 3-for-4 day in the leadoff spot, scoring twice. Cepeda went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run.
Miller tossed 2.0 innings as the starter and allowed four runs. Cooper was excellent in relief, earning the win with 3.0 scoreless innings and four strikeouts.
On Deck
Duluth contests a commuter series with Eau Claire on Monday and Tuesday. First pitch in both games comes at 6:35. Game one is at home, game two on the road. The Eau Claire set is followed by a pair of sub-division home series against Thunder Bay and Waterloo to finish the week.