The Thunder Bay Border Cats closed out their four-game road trip on Saturday with a 3-2 loss to the Rochester Honkers at Mayo Field to split the two-game series.  The Cats record now stands at 15-17 with three games remaining in the first half of the Northwoods League season. With the victory, the Honkers improved to 18-14.

The Cats took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI groundout by Stevie Waters (University of British Columbia) that scored Manny Alberto (Western Kentucky University).  Alberto had opened the game with a single, but it was a quiet night offensively as both teams wound up with only three hits apiece.  The Honkers scored single runs in the second, third, and eighth innings, and Thunder Bay’s Dante Smith (North Dakota State University) closed out the scoring in the top of the ninth with a solo home run, his first of the season. Smith leads the Cats with 22 runs batted in.

Mason Kosowick (University of Georgia) made his return on the mound for the Cats after the Bulldogs appeared in the College World Series in Omaha, NE.  The big righthander pitched five innings and allowed two hits, two walks, and two runs, while striking out six.  Kosowick took the loss in his season debut.

The Cats return home on Sunday to face the Duluth Huskies at 5:05pm in the opener of a two-game set and a four-game homestand.  The Cats, who are 12-4 at Port Arthur Stadium, currently trail the Huskies 4-2 in the battle for the Superior Cup.  Lefthander Tyler Bribiescas (University of Arkansas-Monticello) will take his 1-3 record to the mound for Thunder Bay.  It’s “Stock Car Sunday” presented by Forks South Sports Lounge.  Dirt track cars will be on display outside of the ballpark and there will be t-shirt giveaways and draws for free passes to Thunder City Speedway during the game.  It’s also “Family Day” with a package of 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 Pepsi all for just $60, plus kids can run the bases after the game.