Kyle Morrison (pictured), collected a total of six hits during Wednesday’s action at Port Arthur Stadium.
The Border Cats finished three games on Wednesday against the Waterloo Bucks during a long day of baseball at Port Arthur Stadium. The Cats won the completion of Tuesday’s suspended game 10-6, but then dropped two games of the split doubleheader 6-5 in an extra inning and 4-2 in the nightcap. Thunder Bay and Waterloo are now tied atop the Great Plains East Division with records of 12-9.
GAME ONE
Before 1,689 School Day fans, Tuesday’s suspended game continued on Wednesday morning with the Cats leading 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning. Zane Skansi (Creighton University) hit the first pitch thrown of the day for a home run and Cole Ketzner (University of South Alabama) and Lucas Terilli (Eastern New Mexico University) also homered in the Cats 10-6 win. The home side had a 10-0 lead after four innings. Max Ramirez IV (Niagara University) pitched 2 2/3 hitless innings in relief with three strikeouts to pick up the victory.
GAME TWO
The Bucks rallied to win the second game of the day 6-5 in an extra inning by scoring the tying run in the sixth inning and the winning run in the top of the eighth. Skansi went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, a double and RBI, while Ty Brooks (University of South Alabama) and Kyle Morrison (Shelton State CC) both added two hits. Sean Heppner (University of British Columbia) took the loss out of the bullpen to fall to 0-2.
GAME THREE
In the nightcap, Waterloo pushed across three unearned runs in the first inning and rode the pitching of lefthander Ryan Gold (University of Georgia) to the 4-2 triumph. Kyle Morrison broke up Gold’s no hitter with a base hit to right field leading off the fifth inning and the third baseman celebrated his 20th birthday with a two-run home run in the seventh to draw the Cats to within two runs. Morrison had three hits in the finale to raise his batting average to .333 on the season. Japanese righthander Kansai Sugimoto (Yavapai CC) was the hard luck losing pitcher as his record evened at 1-1.
The Cats and Bucks close out their four-game series on Thursday at 6:35pm. Righthander Caleb Bunch (Northwestern State University) is the scheduled starter for Thunder Bay. It’s “Thirsty Thursday” presented by Sleeping Giant Brewery with Border Cats RBI Lager Tall Boys on special for just $7.00.
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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. Entering its’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 26 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 350 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 (TEX), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (STL) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2023 World Series Champion, 2021 and 2023 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team 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.