THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Border Cats are back in business.
Nothing like a return to familiar territory to spark a little confidence and success.
After a 1-5 road trip, the Cats were back at Port Arthur Stadium on Saturday night and outlasted the visiting Eau Claire Express 9-7, earning their fourth win in 13 tries to start the second half of the Northwoods League season.
Jeremy Seiffied was the offensive star for Thunder Bay, singling three times and driving in three to lead the offence.
All-star Manny Alberto was 2-for-5 with an RBI and Tyrus Hall drove in a pair for the Border Cats, who ceded the Express a three-run lead in the top of the first, only to battle back with three of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
J.J. Moran tripled with two aboard to spark the Eau Claire outburst, which led to the departure of Thunder Bay starter Ethan Minaker after just one inning of work.
Groundouts by Tyrus Hall and Trey Fikes plated two of the Border Cats runs in the bottom of the inning, which led to the early departures of Eau Claire starter Lorenzo Atwell, who needed 28 pitches to get out of the frame.
Sheffield singled home Calvin Warrillow to give the Cats a 4-3 lead in the second, but with Rylan Newman pitching, the Express struck again.
Quinton Oats reached on an inning-opening error to start the third and Sam Erickson drilled a homer to left, Eau Claire taking a 5-4 lead, what would prove to be their final advantage of the evening. They’d add one more run in the fourth, but up 6-5 in the sixth, things fell apart in a hurry.
After Grant Faris retired the Express in order in the top of the inning, Thunder Bay loaded the bases with no outs reaching on Eau Claire’s second error of the inning, this time by Erickson, the Eau Claire right-fielder.
Alberto followed with a run-scoring single and Hall plated the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice.
Faris tossed three innings of shutout relief to earn the win. Carson Priebe shut things down with a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth to pick up the save. The loss went to Eau Claire’s Austin Steeves, who gave up three runs on three hits and two walks in two innings of work.
The Cats (4-9) and Express (7-6) will tangle again on Sunday afternoon at Port Arthur Stadium. The Border Cats then take a four-day break for the annual all-star game. Thunder Bay returns to action on July 18 on the road against Rochester. Their next home game is July 24, a day-night doubleheader against the Willmar Stingers.
