EAU CLAIRE, Wisc. – Camden Tanner’s diving, eighth-inning catch helped the Thunder Bay Border Cats avoid an Opening Day disaster.
The Cats rookie outfielder snared a sinking bases-loaded line drive off the bat of Eau Claire second baseman Ian Guanzon, preserving a one-run lead which stood up in the ninth.
Thunder Bay led the game 12-0 after batting in the fourth, but watched the pitching staff issue 18 walks over the course of the first eight innings as the Express clawed their way back, scoring five in the fourth and five more in the eighth.
Tanner was the team’s leading light at the plate on the night, clearing the bases with a second-inning single, part of a 4-for-4, two-walk, five RBI night in his Border Cats debut. His second-inning hit gave the Border Cats a 4-0 lead.
They’d add two more in the third, chasing Eau Claire stater Nathan Vale, tagged for six runs on three hits and seven of the 15 walks surrendered by the Express pitching staff on the night.
Jeremy Sheffield doubled with two aboard to start the ball rolling in the fourth, the with Grant Schroeder on in relief, Braxton Templin doubled home Lucas Johnson as the Cats upped their lead to 10-0. Two batters later, Tanner singled in two more.
Ethan Froud got the start for Thunder Bay and made it through two and two-thirds innings, giving up two hits, no runs and walking five.
Lachlan Harrison took over and got the team out of the third, but ran into trouble in the fourth, walking four batters and giving up a pair of hits as the Express began to mount their comeback in earnest. Harrison and his replacement, Tyler Talbert, unleashed wild pitches that scored runs and the Express capped the inning with Alex Hendrickson singling to right, an error by right-fielder Lucas Johnson allowing two runs to cross the plate.
Thunder Bay had plenty of chances to add to their lead, but couldn’t come through with a clutch hit when they needed it most. All told, the team stranded 16 batters. Not to be outdone, Eau Claire left 17 men on base.
The Cats got out of jams in the fifth, stranding a pair of runners, the sixth, allowing just one run despite Eau Claire loading the bases with one out, and the seventh, when one runner was left aboard.
The Express trailed 12-6 heading into their half of the eighth, facing reliever John McDonald, the fifth of seven Thunder Bay pitchers called on in Monday’s opener.
It wasn’t his night.
McDonald walked Guanzon, Alex Hendrickson singled and Brendan Beals walked, loading the bases once again. Adam Salazar lofted a sacrifice fly to score Guanzon, then Joey Flom doubled to plate two more. McGwire Turner grounded out to short, scoring Beals from third and Jackson Glueck singled to centre, closing the gap to 12-10.
McDonald left with the bases loaded, giving way to Thunder Bay’s Porter Jorgenson, who walked Guanzon, bringing Hendrickson to the plate for the second time in the inning. He hit a tailing line drive to left off of reliever Jackson Hohensee that Camden managed to snag before it landed, sending the game to the night.
Hohensee then retired the Express in order to earn the Cats a season-opening win, striking out Flom to put the game away.
Hendrickson finished 2-for-4 with two walks and three RBI for Eau Claire. Templin had three RBI for Thunder Bay, walking twice in a 1-for-3 night.
Talbert (1-0) earned the win, giving up one run on two hits and a walk. Vela took the loss and Hohensee was credited with the save, striking out a pair while retiring all four batters he faced.
