Waterloo, IA – Although Mitchell Iliff went 4-5 with a home run and three RBIs, Thunder Bay staved off the last chance comeback effort from Waterloo to take the Opening Day win, 11-9. 

In the top of the second inning, the Border Cats started the scoring. Lincoln Pack delivered an RBI single to put Thunder Bay on top 1-0. Later, with the bases loaded, Owen Ralph worked a walk to force home a run to make it 2-0. 

In the top of the fourth, Pack led off with a double, then came around to score on a Stevie Waters single to extend the lead to 3-0. 

In the top of the fifth, the Border Cats built on that lead. Two walks put a runner in scoring position for Waters, who delivered another RBI single to make it 4-0. One batter later, a fielding error allowed another run to come home to push the lead to 5-0. 

In the home half of the frame, the Bucks got those runs back. After a Caleb Seibers walk, Mitchell Iliff pounded an RBI double to the warning track to bring Seibers in to make it 5-1. Dane Most followed with a single to plate Iliff and cut the lead to 5-2. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Waterloo brought it to within one. Cole Patterson led off the frame with a single, then stole second. Iliff ripped a base hit to right to plate Patterson to make it 5-3. After a steal, Iliff scored from second base on a fielding error to chisel the lead to 5-4. 

That was the closest the Bucks would get in this game as Thunder Bay responded with two runs in the eighth, then four more in the top of the ninth. 

With their last chance at-bats, Iliff crushed a home run to center, then George Baker hit a bases clearing double down the right field line but it was not enough to overcome the deficit as the Border Cats prevailed in a 11-9 victory. 

With the loss, Waterloo falls to 0-1 on the season. The Bucks matchup in the final game of the series against the Border Cats Tuesday evening at 6:35. Both starters are TBD.