Border Cats Triumph in Thrilling Home Opener
THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – The Thunder Bay Border Cats had the record home opener crowd of 3,051 fans on the edge of their seats as they secured a nail-biting 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Mud Puppies.
The post game amazing fireworks display was not the only fireworks of the night, the Border Cats kicked off with an early lead, faced a setback, but roared back to take the lead and hold off a fierce challenge from the Mud Puppies.
Pitching Heroics
Thunder Bay native Jack Pineau, representing Creighton University, was electric on the mound, striking out eight over 4 2/3 innings while allowing two runs. Carter Wall from the University of Utah picked up the win in relief, and Tyrus Riley from Fort Hays State University closed the game with three scoreless innings, striking out five for his first save of the season.
The Mud Puppies made a hard last inning effort to tie the game, and for a short while it looked like they might do just that, and Riley shut the door striking out the last Minnesota batter.
Early Lead and Dramatic Comeback
The Cats were quick off the blocks, but the Mud Puppies clawed their way back, taking the lead. However, the Border Cats, backed by a passionate home crowd, fought back. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Logan McIntyre from the University of Missouri-St. Louis brought the fans to their feet with a clutch single to center field, driving in the tying run. The winning run followed shortly after on a Mud Puppies error during an attempted double steal.
Season Outlook
The victory raises the Border Cats’ record to 4-1, maintaining their first-place position in the Great Plains East Division.
The Cats and Mud Puppies wrap up their two-game series on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. with Sean Heppner from the University of British Columbia set to start for the Cats as they continue their six-game homestand.
Get Your Tickets
Grandstand/Party Decks/1st Base Bleachers
Adult: $16.00
Senior (60+): $13.00
Students (with student ID card): $13.00
Children (4-12): $5.00
Infants (3 and under): FREE
The Box Office is open this morning at 11:00 so you can stop by get your tickets and avoid lineups. Make Border Cats Baseball your new Family Tradition.
Around the Northwoods League
The Northwoods League action is heating up! Thursday’s slate featured 14 games, with 10 home victories. Highlights include the Kenosha Kingfish winning their home opener and the Traverse City Pit Spitters taking game one of the 131 rivalry series. Here’s a quick rundown of the other games:
- Kokomo 7, Royal Oak 3: Brodee Wright shined with two RBIs and a stolen base.
- Royal Oak 12, Kokomo 4: Nate Ball was perfect at the plate, driving in three runs.
- Traverse City 5, Kalamazoo 1: Brandon Chang’s two-run triple led the Pit Spitters.
- Rockford 10, Battle Creek 0: Cade Zalewski’s bases-clearing double highlighted the shutout.
- Fond du Lac 13, Green Bay 3: Zach Taylor’s homer and two RBIs powered the Dock Spiders.
- Wausau 4, Wisconsin Rapids 3: Jacob Haley’s two-run single was key for the Woodchucks.
- La Crosse 5, Rochester 4: Cooper Brass drove in two runs in a tight win for the Loggers.
- Willmar 3, Mankato 0: J.D. Hennen’s stellar pitching sealed the shutout for the Stingers.
- Madison 7, Lakeshore 5: Blake Guerin’s two-run homer helped the Mallards to victory.
- Kenosha 8, Waterloo 4: Robert Newland’s homer lifted the Kingfish in their home opener.
- Bismarck 4, Minot 3: A walk-off single from Will Millard secured the win for the Larks.
- Duluth 10, St. Cloud 6: Early runs helped the Huskies take down the Rox.
- Eau Claire 16, Badlands 15: An eleven-inning thriller saw the Express walk it off with a home run.
Stay tuned, sports fans, for more thrilling action from your Thunder Bay Border Cats and the rest of the Northwoods League!
