La Crosse, Wisc. – The Loggers and Border Cats split the double header with the Loggers winning the first game 3-2, and the Border Cats taking the second 4-3.
The first game of the twin bill saw a pitchers duel for the majority of the game. Tommy Bridges (Northwestern) started on the bump for the Lumbermen, and after allowing a run in the first inning, he was shut down from there on out. Both teams would find baserunners left stranded inning after inning, as the Border Cats would hold the 1-0 lead heading into the 5th inning.
A defensive error would get the lead-off batter on for La Crosse, brought in later by an RBI single from Jake Redding (Hawaii). That hit would be the first Loggers hit of the ball game, trailed by an Eli Small (Kent State) double, and another single that would score Redding. Up 2-1, both teams would go scoreless in the 6th, heading into the final inning with the home team up 1. Christien Banda (Orel Roberts) would come into the game looking for the save, but with 2 outs a Thunder Bay RBI single would tie the game, sending the game to the bottom of the inning. The Loggers would work quickly behind several walks that would load the bases, ultimately walking it off via a Landen Lozier (Kansas) RBI walk.
Game 2 saw the Loggers get on the board first, as Kelsen Johnson (Georgia SW State) would tie the Loggers single season walk record with his 51st of the year, later coming around to score on an Eli Small RBI groundout. Easton Arendt (Winona St.) would bring in the next run on with an RBI triple. Thunder Bay would get one on the board with back to back doubles, cutting their decifit to 2-1.
Thunder Bay would threaten in the 3rd, scoring on a walk with bases loaded, ultimately stranding 3 runners, but tying the game at 2-2. The Loggers would retake the lead on a throwing error after a Chris Calico (UW – La Crosse) bunt, going up 3-2. Both teams would go silent until the bottom of the 6th where the Border Cats would score 2 on a RBI walk and RBI groundout which would end up being the winning run.
Both teams will rematch tomorrow for another double header. The first game is set for 3:05 as the regular season continues to trickle to an end.