Border Cats Cats shortstop Ty Blankmeyer is safe a second base during a stolen base attempt Sunday at TBaytel Park.  The Cats lost 10-5 to the Eau Claire Express. (Photo courtesy of James Mirabelli Photography)

Eau Claire Express Centerfielder Jeff Hendrix broke a deadlock in the 9th inning on a close play at home plate in action at Tbaytel Park. Border Cat backstop Tyler Patterson (St. Cloud State) looked like he applied the tag but Peter Van Gansen just eluded it to plate the winning run. The Express would tally four more in the deciding inning against Devin McLemore (Winston-Salem State) as the Express scored a 10-5 win over Thunder Bay. Nathaniel Leon (St. Peter’s University) was charged with the loss as he was in the game to start the top of the 9th.
The Cats led twice in the game. In the 6th inning John Menken (Winthrop University) picked up his first hit of the season, scoring two which gave the Cats a brief 5-4 lead. Menken along with Ty Blankmeyer (St. John’s University) had multi-hit games. Blankmeyer extended his hitting streak to seven games while his family looked on. Menken and Adam Collins (Central Michigan) contributed two RBI’s in the game which saw each team take the lead twice.
Michael Daley (Kean University) made the start for the Cats, his first. He lasted two innings, surrendering four runs. Daley was one of six men to toe the rubber on a bullpen day for the Cats pitching staff. The Border Cats wrap up the four game home stand against Eau Claire on Monday with first pitch slated for 7:05pm at Tbaytel Park. Toronto born Yuji Suzuki (Concordia University- St. Paul) takes his 1-1 record to the mound for the Cats.