LA CROSSE, Wisc. – The Border Cats season-long struggle with control came back to haunt them in a big way on Saturday night.
Thunder Bay’s pitchers allowed just three hits to La Crosse Loggers batters, but walked an even dozen and went down to a 9-2 road defeat.
Their troubles began in the first.
William Spang retired the first two Loggers hitters, but then walked Ryan Costello, Carson Ohland and Eddie Peters before giving way to Griffin Cato.
The second-year Border Cats hurler issued a fourth straight walk, this one to Mikey Ryan III, breaking the scoreless tie.
Things didn’t get better in a hurry.
With the bases loaded, Eli Small stepped up to the plate and doubled to centre, clearing the basepaths as La Crosse took a 4-0 lead.
They’d add one in the fifth and exploded for four more in the sixth.
Catto walked three straight with one out and his replacement, Jackson Irwin, walked Ryan III. Small then singled in two more and the Loggers led 9-0.
RBI singles by Jordan Bach and Jeremy Sheffield in the seventh produced the lone Thunder Bay runs.
Catto (0-1) was tagged with the loss. La Crosse starter Luke Elward earned the win, allowing no runs on three hits and four walks. Caden Richardson tossed four innings of relief to earn the save.
In 12 games, the Border Cats have issued a league-high 118 walks, 77 more than St. Cloud, whose pitchers have walked just 41 hitters.
Thunder Bay slipped back to .500 at 6-6 while La Crosse jumped into first place in the Great Plains East at 10-3, half a gama ahead of Waterloo.
The two teams wrap up their two-game set on Sunday. Thunder Bay returns home on Monday to host Eau Claire at Port Arthur Stadium.
