THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Border Cats came out on the wrong side of history on Monday night.
The Cats (11-9), thanks in part to a 15-run explosion by the visiting La Crosse Loggers (16-5) in the third inning, went on to lose the series opener 25-13, the combined 38 runs setting a new Northwoods League record, a mark had stood for 15 years.
The Loggers batted around twice – and then some – in the fateful third, then batted around again in the fourth, taking advantage of a complete loss of control by Thunder Bay’s pitching staff, on a drizzly night at Port Arthur Stadium.
Starter John McDonald and reliever Grant Faris combined to walk 10 batters in the inning, including six with the bases loaded.
McDonald, who retired the side in order in the first and second innings, needing only 16 pitches to do so, also hit a batter with the bases loaded.
The Loggers bats were also working, when needed, in the third, Cole Eaton delivering a key blow, clearing the bases on a two-out double to right off of Jimmy Cerha, the Cats third pitcher of the inning.
“I give a lot of credit to the resilience of the guys, just staying locked in for every moment. It’s pretty easy in a game like that to get out of hand and for you to get checked out, either at the plate or out in the field,” said Eaton, who finished the night 2-for-6 with four runs batted in.
The record, set in 2010 in a 24-12 win by La Crosse over the Wisconsin Rapids, and tied three years later in St. Cloud’s 24-12 win over the Border Cats, was news to Eaton.
“It was definitely one of the longest games I’ve ever been a part of, for sure,” Eaton said.
La Crosse manager Josh Frye, whose team trailed 4-0 after two innings, thanks in part to a two-run blast off the bat of Thunder Bay’s Greg LaChance, said his hitters took good approaches at the plate and showed plenty of discipline.
“We were going up there looking for our pitches. We’re doing a really good job in pregame and warm ups and everything else. So now, to actually put it all together in a game is really awesome to see,” Frye said.
“Putting up 25 runs is really good.”
The Loggers total fell three short of the Northwoods League record of 28, set in 2020 by Rockford in a 28-7 win over Fond du Lac.
Giving up 13 runs is never great, but it’s also a developmental league, Frye said.
“We’re going out and giving guys some opportunities. And we still won by double digits and won by 12,” he said.
Trouble began in the third when Brayden Jefferis, who’d bat three times in the inning, laced a line-drive single to centre. Max Kalk walked, as did Xander McLaurin and R.J. Hamilton was struck by a McDonald pitch, which plated the Loggers first run of the night.
Ethan Edinger and Savion Flowers drew bases loaded walks before Kedren Kinzie recorded the first out of the inning, a run-scoring sacrifice fly that ended McDonald’s night.
Grant Faris took over and fared no better, chased after allowing eight runs on two hits and six walks. Jimmy Cerha came on to record the inning’s final out, but the damage was done, the Loggers taking a 15-4 lead.
Down 20-4, the Border Cats pitchers finally settled down, Griffin Catto and Corey Morro, normally a third-baseman, tossing shutout innings.
Morro wasn’t as fortunate in the ninth, torched for five more runs, pitcher Christien Banda ripping a single to right that scored the record-breaking run.
“I want that ball,” he shouted from first, most of the 455 fans having long left the building.
Thunder Bay scored two in the fifth, two in the sixth and four in the seventh to make it 20-12. Beck Sullivan retired the Cats in order in the ninth, the final pitch coming 4:12 minutes after the first pitch left McDonald’s hand.
“Any chance you can come back and chip away, you give yourself a chance,” LaChance said. “I just think that’s the resilience of the team, especially a game like today – rainy and bad conditions. We played really good down the stretch in that game and never gave up.”
The two teams play a split day-night double header on Tuesday.
