Cats' playoff hopes dashed after splitting double header

It’s wait until next year time for the Thunder Bay Border Cats.

The Cats on Wednesday split a twi-night doubleheader in Duluth, taking the opener 10-5, but they dropped the second game

5-2, officially eliminating them from playoff contention in the Northwoods League North Division.
Ryan Court and Kenny Battiston drove home three runs apiece in the first game and the Cats scored six times in the eighth inning to erase a 4-3 Duluth advantage.

Reliever Will Krasne (1-0) picked up his first win in a Border Cats uniform, while Duluth’s Jacob Bax was tagged with the loss, allowing all six runs in the eighth.

It was a different story in the night cap, as Cats starter Jeff Deblieux had a rough outing on the mound, chased in the second inning after allowing four Huskies runs, a deficit Thunder Bay just couldn’t make up.

With the loss Thunder Bay fell to 12-18 in second-half play, but can’t catch either Willmar or St. Cloud who are tied atop the North Division standings at 18-12, with five games to go on the schedule.

The Border Cats return home Saturday night to wrap up their eighth season with a trio against Willmar, a series some have speculated could be the team's final one ever as uncertainty over whether the team will return to Thunder Bay in 2011 continues to hover over Port Arthur Stadium.