THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – The Thunder Bay Border Cats clawed their way from a sluggish beginning, ramped up the pace mid-match, and raced to a commanding 6-0 lead over the Eau Claire Express this Wednesday night.
Thunder Bay’s own Jack Pineau notched his first-ever victory in the Northwoods League.
Pineau, a right-hander who’s set to join Creighton University’s roster in the fall, served up a six-inning, three-hit, shutout spectacle on Wednesday night, steering the Thunder Bay Border Cats to a satisfying 6-3 triumph over the visiting Eau Claire Express.
The stakes were high as the two squads clashed at the top of the Great Plains Division, with just five days remaining in the first half of the season.
Pineau, displaying a masterclass in precision, fanned four batters and issued only a pair of walks, bringing his personal record to an even 1-1.
On the offensive front, Thunder Bay’s Patrick Engskov stole the show, delivering a 2-for-4 performance with a double and a trio of RBIs to his credit. Logan Johnstone also swung his way into the spotlight, adding two hits in three attempts and driving in a pair of runs.
Eau Claire’s starting pitcher, Tyler Schmidt, found himself in rough waters, surrendering five runs, three of which were earned, over a stretch of three innings, and ultimately bearing the weight of the loss.
The Border Cats made their mark on the scoreboard with two in the third, another three in the fourth, and an extra run in the fifth. The Eau Claire Express tried to claw back in the seventh, managing to score three runs off Cats reliever Griffin Catto.
Catto found himself under fire, facing eight batters in the innings, before Tanner Carter swooped in to extinguish the threat, striking out Tanner Sagouspe to put an end to the inning.
With this win, the Border Cats now enjoy a one-game lead over Eau Claire, a 1.5-game cushion over Duluth, and a two-game advantage over Rochester. The chase for the division title is heating up, folks! Stay tuned for more heart-pounding action on the field!
The Cats continue the homestand against Eau Claire tonight weather permitting. First pitch is at 6:35 pm.
Border Cats 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
