ROCHESTER, MN – SPORTS – After a heartbreaking lose the Cat’s roared back! Jackson Cooke from the University of Tennessee at Martin started the Thunder Bay Border Cats off with a bang, smashing a first-inning grand slam that set the stage for a decisive 12-5 victory over the Rochester Honkers at Mayo Field on Saturday night. This win snaps a two-game losing streak for the Cats and boosts their first-place record in the Great Plains East Division to an impressive 12-7, and 30-23 overall for the season. Thunder Bay now leads the second half standings by 1.5 games over second-place Duluth, with Rochester trailing by two games.
Fast-Paced Start and Strong Finish
The Honkers didn’t let Cooke’s grand slam go unanswered, responding with three runs in the bottom of the first inning to narrow the gap to 4-3. However, the Cats clawed back with two runs in the third and one in the eighth, courtesy of an RBI double by Cole Ketzner from the University of South Alabama, pushing the lead to 7-5. The Cats sealed the deal with a powerful five-run surge in the ninth inning.
Key Performances and Stats
Cooke, the star of the night, drove in four runs and walked three times. Trey Fikes from Three Rivers College also contributed significantly, driving in two runs. The Cats had a balanced offensive effort with Sam Stem (Gonzaga University), Keegan Garis (Indiana State University), Ty Hamilton (Florida Southwestern State College), and Garrett Sloan (Bowling Green State University) each collecting two hits.
On the mound, Peter Fusek from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside made a spot start, giving up four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. Bode Gebbink from Missouri University of Science & Technology secured his first win by allowing one run on four hits over 2 1/3 innings, striking out three. Lefty Ryan Vondracek from Crown College, making his return to the Cats, pitched two shutout innings with three strikeouts to close out the victory.
Looking Ahead
The Border Cats and the Honkers wrap up their two-game series on Sunday, just before the All-Star break. Right-hander Colin Slivka from Oakton Community College is set to make his season debut on the mound for Thunder Bay. First pitch is scheduled for 6 PM.
