Keegan Garis (pictured), crosses home plate during the Border Cats game Friday night in Waterloo.
The Thunder Bay Border Cats let a 9-3 lead slip away Friday night at Riverfront Stadium and lost 10-9 to Waterloo as the Bucks finished off a two-game sweep. The Bucks rallied for single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to make it 9-5 and then scored five times in the bottom of the ninth to complete the big comeback. The first place Cats saw their second half record drop to 11-7, but they remain one game ahead Rochester atop the Great Plains East Division. The Honkers lost 12-2 to the Eau Claire Express.
After the teams traded three runs apiece in the fifth inning, the Cats scored four times in the sixth and added a pair in the seventh for a 9-3 lead. Sam Stem (Gonzaga University) had another big night at the plate in Waterloo as he went 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBI’s and scored three times. Riley Iffrig (Indiana State University) collected two hits, with a two-run double, and drove in three runs, while Keegan Garis (Indiana State University) and Ty Hamilton (Florida Southwestern State College) both added two hits. Hamilton reached base four times as he also walked twice.
Adam Metivier (Piedmont University) dazzled the Bucks as he went six-plus innings and allowed eight hits and four runs. The southpaw walked one and struck out two. Kobe Allen (Westminster College) suffered the loss in relief.
The Cats travel to Rochester Saturday to open a two-game set against the Honkers in a key series before the All-Star break. Turner Spoljaric (University of Oregon) will take his 1-1 record to the mound for Thunder Bay. First pitch is scheduled for 7:35pm ET.
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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.
