Border Cats players will be on the field Tuesday, May 27th, preparing for their 2014 Northwoods League home opener against the St. Cloud Rox at 7:05pm. (Photo courtesy of Border Cats staff)
For just the second time in their 12 year history, the Thunder Bay Border Cats will open the Northwoods League season at home. The Cats 2014 season opener will take place at Tbaytel Park on Tuesday, May 27th, at 7:05pm against the St. Cloud Rox. The opener will be part of a four-game homestand as new manager Johnny Hernandezand the Cats will host St. Cloud for two games May (27-28), and the Duluth Huskies for a pair of games (May 29-30). Thunder Bay plays its first road game at Alexanadria against the Blue Anchors on Saturday, May 31st.
The Northwoods League will move to a 72-game regular season in 2014 with nine teams in each division. The Cats will again play in the North Division and welcome a new addition with the Eau Claire Express moving from the South Division to go along with existing clubs in Alexandria, Duluth, Mankato, Rochester, St. Cloud, Waterloo and Willmar. The South Division will welcome two expansion clubs with the Kalamazoo (MI), Growlers and Kenosa (WI), Kingfish bringing the league to 18 teams. The league will also feature season long intra-divisional play with Thunder Bay playing two game series at home and on the road against both the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters and Wisconsin Woodchucks from the South Division.
The Cats will play four day games at home during the 2014 season on May 28th at 11:05am versus St. Cloud, June 3rd at 11:05am versus Rochester, July 29th at 1:35pm versus Waterloo and July 30th at 12:05pm versus Duluth. The July 30th date against the Huskies will include a split home and home doubleheader with the two teams also playing that night in Duluth following their day game in Thunder Bay. The Cats will also play a split doubleheader against the Huskies with both games at Duluth on June 24th.
The Cats longest homestand consists of seven games from July 26th to August 1st and Thunder Bay closes out the regular season at Tbaytel Park on August 9th and 10th against the Wisconsin Woodchucks.
Border Cats 2014 season tickets are now on sale at the team's office located in the Canada Games Complex or by calling (807) 766.CATS.
For the complete 2014 NWL schedule click here: