Border Cats explode in win over Beetles

The Alexandria Beetles must still be wondering what hit them.

Luke Willis, Danny Bethea and Phillip Lyons drove in three runs apiece Friday night, leading the Thunder Bay Border Cats to a lopsided 17-7 win Friday night, closing out a five-game road trip on a victorious note.

Brett Kay went 4-for-6 and Kyle Lombardo scored four times in the contest, which saw Scott Donley, Matt Mones and James Bond earn two-RBI performances.

Willis homered in the third and Donley in the eighth, and the Cats also put up seven runs in the fifth inning.

Dan Ludwig wasn’t his sharpest on the mound for the Cats, surrendering seven runs on 13 hits before leaving in the sixth, but the four-strikeout performance was enough to earn the win.

Mitchell Babb was less fortunate, torched for eight runs into the fifth, and fell to 1-5 on the season.

The Cats return home to Port Arthur Stadium Saturday night to take on the Rochester Honkers at 7:35 p.m.

The later-than-usual start is to accommodate a post-game fireworks show in honour of Canada Day.

Both teams enter the game at 13-17.