WAUSAU, Wisc. – The Thunder Bay Border Cats keep hanging around.
Mired in the midst of an unprecedented 13-game road trip, the Cats on Thursday night gave their playoff hopes a big boost, downing a powerful Wausau Woodchucks squad 4-1. Combined with Duluth’s 8-6 loss to the Eau Claire Express, Thunder Bay is once again just one game out of first place in the Northwoods League’s Great Plains East Division, a game behind the Huskies and even with the Express.
Thunder Bay (14-12) did all of its damage offensively in the first two innings, in support of starter Trent Jordan, who put in a remarkable performance that lasted until there were two outs in the seventh.
Sam Stem scored from third on a Brayden Marks wild pitch in the first, giving the Border Cats an early 1-0 lead.
Newcomer Mike Maanum singled with one out and two on in the second to score Nathanael Frederking, who crossed the plate as the result of an error by the Woodchucks left-fielder.
Stem’s follow-up fielder’s choice scored Maddox McDonald and Mike Maanum also scored on the play.
Jordan was magnificent, retiring 19 of the first 21 batters he faced. Colin Bruggemann walked with two outs in the seventh and Samuel Fischer singled to end the Thunder Bay hurler’s night.
Kobe Allen came on in relief and struck out Bryce Hubbard to end the threat by the Woodchucks (18-8), tied with Madison for first place in the Great Lakes West Division.
Wausau’s lone run came off of Allen in the ninth, when Max Galvin went deep with no one aboard, the second batter of the inning. Allen then retired Bruggemann and Fischer to complete the save.
The Cats and Woodchucks will tangle again on Friday at Athletic Park.
Thunder Bay finally returns home on Aug. 5 to take on the Express, the third of six in a row the two teams will play.
