THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Border Cats seem to really like playing at home.
Nate Nolan hit a liner down the third base line to complete a bottom of the ninth rally for a 5-4 Border Cats walk-off win over the Alexandria Blue Anchors on Friday night for the club’s fourth win in five games at Tbaytel Park so far this season.
Entering the frame trailing by one, the Border Cats took advantage of an erratic inning by Alexandria closer Austin Cornish who walked three batters and allowed the tying run to cross on a wild pitch before Nolan wrapped things up.
“I just made sure I was going to get one in my own spot,” Nolan said. “I didn’t want to swing or chase anything because I had plenty of guys behind me who could get the job done if I walked so I was just waiting on that one pitch and luckily I got it.”
The catcher finished the contest with three runs batted in, two of those coming courtesy of a fifth inning home run.
The win brings the club back to .500 with a 5-5 record that places them square in the middle of the Northwoods League’s North Division.
Acting manager Lou Bernardi said the team’s ability to pull out games in its own ballpark is a good omen going forward.
“All good teams have to have success at home and it’s been early but we’ve been able to play well for our fans,” he said.
Thunder Bay started the game playing catch up after the Blue Anchors took an early lead.
Alexandria jumped ahead in the top half of the first. The Blue Anchors capitalized on a Border Cats defensive miscue when a throw from third baseman Carter McEachern on a ground ball was mishandled by first baseman Mikael Mogues, allowing Tyler Chadwick to score on the play.
That lead was supported early on by a strong outing by Blue Anchors starting pitcher Drew Hasler, who was solid in retiring the first 13 Border Cats batters he faced to carry a perfect game into the fifth inning.
That was broken up when he plunked Alan Baldwin, which he paid for when Nolan stepped up next to the plate and took him deep.
“Once I got 3-0 I was just waiting for that pitch and luckily I got a mistake,” Nolan said. “I knew it had a good shot (to get out once it left the bat).”
With Thunder Bay leading 3-1, the Blue Anchors began to unravel the lead.
The visitors got one back in the seventh with a run-scoring single by Steve Sada and then regained the lead in the next inning.
Alexandria tied the game when leadoff hitter Ricky Sanchez hit a solo blast to right-centre. Then, with two outs, Blue Anchors hitter Luke Petterson hit a grounder up the middle but Mogues dropped the throw, allowing Luke Owens to score from third.
The Border Cats put their rally caps on in the ninth, starting with a leadoff walk to Grant McKown. He moved to second after a sacrifice bunt, and then to third and home on a pair wild pitches.
Walks to Mogues and Baldwin gave Nolan the chance be the hero.
“He had a great day,” Bernardi said. “For us to have success going forward he’s going to have to be one of our main guys. It’s great to see Nate having a coming out party and swing the way he did.”
Mitch Kuebbing (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the victory while Cornish (0-1) was saddled with the loss.
Claw marks: The home run was the Cats’ second of the season and first since Grant McKown hit a grand slam on opening night…McKown, who drove in a run in the sixth, leads the team with 12 RBIs and is second in the league, one off the pace being set by Kenosha’s Nick Sergakis…Thunder Bay’s Carter McEachern went one-for-four and his batting average is now .346…The two teams are back at it again on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
