THUNDER BAY – It wasn’t a pretty finish for the Thunder Bay Border Cats.
The Northwoods League team allowed five runs in the fourth and six more in the seventh in their 2019 season finale at Port Arthur Stadium on Sunday and went on to lose 16-9 at the hands of the Great Plains West Division champion St. Cloud Rox.
Zack Elliott was a home run short of the cycle, driving in five to pace the Rox offence, which banged out 17 hits against a trio of Thunder Bay pitchers.
Catcher Joe Jimenez was 3-for-4 with three runs scored, his first home run and four RBI, giving him 10 on the season for the Border Cats.
Jake Larson finished a perfect 4-for-4 on the afternoon, scoring three times.
Alex Dafoe took the loss, giving up eight runs on nine hits and a pair of walks in six innings, but only three of them were earned.
Triston Lundgren failed to record an out in the seventh, the Rox scoring six times on four hits and four walks.
D.J. DePiero, a Thunder Bay native, pitched the final three innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
J.T. Barnes earned the win for St. Cloud, going six innings, allowing four runs on nine hits.
St. Cloud finished the second half at 24-13, while Thunder Bay fell to 10-26, ending the season at 24-47.