LA CROSSE, Wisc. – The Thunder Bay Border Cats start to the second half of the season isn’t that much better than the first.
The Cats on Friday dropped a third straight game to fall to 0-3 in their hunt for a second-half crown in the Northoods League’s Great Plains East Division, surrendering three runs in the seventh inning to erase a 2-1 lead at the time.
They’d go on to lose 4-3 to the host La Crosse Loggers.
All three of the runs came of Thunder Bay-born reliever D.J. Depiero, who gave up three hits and a walk over two innings of work and dropped to 0-4 on the season.
DePiero has given up multiple runs in five of his eight appearances this season.
Ryan Holgate had the big blow for the Loggers, blasting a two-run shot on the first pitch he saw from DePiero, the third straight hit for La Crosse to start the seventh.
The Cats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first.
Conor Allard scored Jake Engel from second and Nate Soriano produced the second on a sacrifice fly.
Thunder Bay’s all-star starter Joe Moran went six innings, giving up six hits and walking five while striking out only two.
Matt Kennedy earned the win for La Crosse, only one of the three runs he allowed on four hits and a pair of walks being earned.
Jack Filby tossed a scoreless ninth to grab his first save of 2019.
The two teams meet again on Saturday. Mark Anderson is expected to get the call for Thunder Bay, while Jon Meyerring is on tap for La Crosse, who improved to 2-1 in the second half.
