The hottest team in the Northwoods League hit the road on Thursday and the Thunder Bay Border Cats stretched their winning streak to seven games by doubling up the Lacrosse Loggers 4-2 at Copeland Park. For the second straight night, Travis Chestnut (Texas A&M University) was the hero for the Cats, as his two-run single in the top of the ninth inning broke a 2-2 tie, improving Thunder Bay’s first-place record to 13-8. Chestnut went 3-for-4, upping his batting average to .500, and he also scored the Cats first run after leading off the game with a double. The Loggers took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the seventh, but the Cats tied it with a run in the eighth, before scoring the final two runs of the game in their final at-bat. Cole Ketzner (South Alabama) had two hits and two runs batted in, while his college teammate Trey Lewis (South Alabama) also had two hits.
Caleb Bunch (Ranger College) picked up the victory in relief and he pitched four innings, allowing two runs (one earned), with five strikeouts as he ran his record to 3-0. Thunder Bay now leads the Great Plains East Division by a half game over Rochester and by one game over Duluth after the Honkers and Huskies both lost on Thursday.
The Border Cats continue their four-game series in Lacrosse on Friday at 7:35pm ET. Caden Fiveash (Northwestern State University) is the scheduled starter for Thunder Bay. The righthander has a 1-1 record with a 1.23 ERA in four appearances this season.
(photo of CF Travis Chestnut courtesy of James Mirabelli Photography)
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The Thunder Bay Border Cats are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Now in its’ 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 24 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 325 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com and on ESPN+. For more information, visit www.bordercatsbaseball.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Rockers as your favorite team.