Sam Stem (pictured), bats against the Wausau Woodchucks in Wisconsin.
The Thunder Bay Border Cats made it two straight wins over the best team in the Northwoods League on Friday night as they topped the Wausau Woodchucks 7-5 at Athletic Park. The win improved the Cats second half record to 15-12 and pulled them into a three-way tie for first place in the Great Plains East Division with the Duluth Huskies and the Eau Claire Express. The Express beat the Huskies 3-2.
The Cats scored twice in the top of the ninth inning to break a 5-5 tie and up their record to 4-7 on their current 13-game road trip. Peter Fusek (University of Wisconsin-Parkside), who started the game in centre field, had a big two-run single to win it as he drove in three runs on the night. Thunder Bay built up a 5-2 lead before the Woodchucks rallied for three runs in the last of the seventh inning to even the score. Sam Stem (Gonzaga University) cracked a two-run double in the third inning to give the Cats a 2-0 lead and Garrett Sloan (Bowling Green State University) added two hits, including a solo home run leading off the seventh inning, his second of the season. The shortstop also scored a pair of runs.
Mason Lemons (Arkansas State University-Mountain Home) had a solid start as he pitched into the seventh inning, allowing three earned runs on seven hits. Kyle Burns (Viterbo University) gave up an unearned run over two innings to pick up the win in his Border Cats debut and Fusek took over the mound in the ninth and set down the side in order, striking out one, to earn his third save of the campaign.
The Cats move onto Eau Claire Saturday to open a two-game set against the Express starting at 7:35pm CT. Terrence Moody (St. Cloud Technical & CC) will get the start as the Cats and Express begin a stretch of six straight games head-to-head including a four-game series at Port Arthur Stadium beginning on Monday, August 5th.
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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’ 31st season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history 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, 360 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, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (at watch.northwoodsleague.com), ESPN+, and the Northwoods League Network. Learn more and find complete streaming schedules at watchnwl.com. 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 Border Cats as your favourite team.