THUNDER BAY, Ontario- Following a season high 21 runs in yesterday’s series opener, the Willmar Stingers were unable to reach that same level against the Thunder Bay Border Cats on Saturday.
In the top of the first inning, it appeared that the Stingers would be in for another great offensive day as Graysen Tarlow launched a solo home run to give Willmar a lead after the game’s second at-bat.
MinnWest Technology Campus Player of the Game Aidan Byrne would double the lead in the inning with an RBI single which brought home Kevin Fitzer.
That meant Stingers starting pitcher Will Whelan would pitch with the lead, however it wouldn’t be an easy day in his first start of the summer.
After getting two outs with just one run coming across, Tyler Kehoe would change everything with one swing as he hit a two-run homer to give Thunder Bay the lead.
That wasn’t all for the inning as Whelan allowed three consecutive walks and a wild pitch to bring in another run for the Border Cats.
Stingers field manager Freddy Smith would have to go to his bullpen early and Hemponix Relief Pitcher of the Game Chris Rofe was able to provide length and silence the Border Cats.
After hitting the first batter he faced to make it 5-2 Border Cats, Rofe threw three scoreless innings while striking out five batters and not allowing a hit.
Each team would exchange runs in the middle innings to make it 6-3 Border Cats entering the seventh inning where the Stingers made their best push to get back into the game.
With a runner on first, Byrne crushed his first home run of the season to bring the game within one and a batter later, Parker Stinson tied the game at six with one swing.
Unfortunately for the Stingers, that wouldn’t be enough as the Border Cats put up four runs in the eighth inning which was all capped off by a Jonah Sutton three-run home run.
Willmar would be unable to come back in the ninth as it dropped a hard fought battle on Canada Day.
The Stingers and Border Cats meet again tomorrow to continue a four-game series.
For more coverage of the Stingers, visit the West Central Tribune online at www.wctrib.com.
The 2023 season is presented by J.D. Kreps Financial Group, empowering investors with powerful financial advice.
##
The Willmar Stingers 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 30th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world 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, over 325 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 (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB 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.willmarstingers.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Stingers as your favorite team.
