LA CROSSE, WISC. – Zane Skansi, Jackson Cooke and Ty Hamilton homered to help the Thunder Bay Border Cats snap a four-game losing streak.
Lucas Terilli had five hits in six trips to the plate, and three Thunder Bay players – Cole Ketzner, Duncan Mathews and Cooke – had three hits apiece, part of an 18-hit attack against a trio of La Crosse Loggers pitchers, that led to a 12-3 triumph.
Thunder Bay spotted the Loggers a 2-0 lead in the first, but stormed back to take a one-run lead with three in the second and two more in the third to jump in front 5-2.
The two teams traded runs in the fifth, with the Border Cats adding two more in the seventh to put the game away, and for good measure, kept the attack going in the ninth, adding four more.
Cooke and Hamilton had three RBI each in support of starter Sean Heppner, who lasted until their were two outs in the fifth, giving up three runs on four hits and five walks. Case Sanderson did the most damage against Heppner, homering with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.
Despite allowing eight runs on 12 hits, La Cross starter Tyler Albanese managed to pitch into the seventh for the Loggers (19-10).
Jake Jakubowski followed with an inning-and-two-thirds of scoreless relief, followed by Will Girardi’s four-run, five hit effort to close out the contest.
The Cats and Loggers will meet again on Friday. Thunder Bay returns home on Saturday to host the Rochester Honkers.
