The Thunder Bay Border Cats closed out their six-game homestand with their third straight win.
The Border Cats came back from an early deficit to prevail 8-5 over the Waterloo Bucks at Port Arthur Stadium on Friday, sweeping the two games against their Great Plains East division rivals.
Waterloo struck for two before the Border Cats even had a chance to grab their bats and led 4-1 after the top of the third.
Thunder Bay responded with a two-run single by Jeremy Sheffield (Georgetown University) in the bottom half of the inning, with Jordan Bach (University of Kansas) tying the game with a run-scoring single in the fourth.
The Border Cats loaded the bases in the sixth and plated three runs in the inning. Bach earned a bases loaded walk to increase his team-leading RBI total to 26, Lucas Johnson (Eastern Michigan University) contributed a run-scoring sacrifice fly, and Manny Alberto (Georgia Gwinnett College) knocked an RBI double.
The preservation was aided by a diving grab by Kael Babin (University of Nebraska-Omaha) on a deep fly ball to centre field that denied the Bucks an extra-base hit that would have likely produced a run.
Babin was the Cwench player of the game for the Border Cats, going 2-for-3 with a run batted in, while also reaching base with a walk and hit by pitch.
Left handed reliever George Hansen (University of Wisconsin-Whitewater) picked up the win on the mound, going three-plus innings without being charged with a run. Carter Wall (University of Utah) came on in the ninth to collect the save.
The Border Cats improve their record to 15-10, sitting 3.5 games back of the La Crosse Loggers in the chase for the Great Plains East division first half crown.
The Border Cats now embark on a six-game road trip, beginning on Saturday against the Rochester Honkers. William Spang (Cleveland Community College) is the expected starting pitcher for Thunder Bay. The Border Cats will return to Port Arthur Stadium on June 27 to host the Mankato MoonDogs. That game will be a ‘‘Flyaway Friday’ with one lucky fan winning two tickets for anywhere Porter Airlines flies.
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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’ 32nd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history 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, nearly 2400 NWL alums have been drafted and over 380 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 (TOR), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford 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, two-time Silver Slugger 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.