THUNDER BAY – Through four innings, the Thunder Bay Border Cats were in a tight battle with the La Crosse Loggers.
Then the bottom fell out.
Hours after they wrapped up Saturday’s rain delayed 9-4 win, the Cats were trounced 14-2 on Sunday by the Loggers in the regularly scheduled Northwoods League game between the two teams.
Luke Davis homered and drove in four runs and R.J. Hamilton had a pair of doubles and also had four RBI to lead La Crosse to the win.
The Loggers scored two in the fifth to up their lead to 5-2, added two more in the sixth then hammered Thunder Bay reliever Troy McLeese for seven runs on six hits and three walks to put the game away in the seventh – the final inning of a game only slated for seven innings.
Brendan Moody went the distance for La Crosse, giving up just two runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out five.
Turner Spolarjic got the start for Thunder Bay and went 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and three walks.
Sam Stem and Brayden Kuriger drove in the Border Cats runs.
In the earlier contest, Stem and Kuriger homered to pace the Thunder Bay attack. Sean Heppner picked up the win in relief, giving up two hits and striking out six in three shutout innings.
At 8-5, Thunder Bay is a game behind Rochester in second place in the Great Plains East Division, a half a game up on third-place Duluth.
The Border Cats and Loggers wrap up their four-game set on Monday night at Port Arthur Stadium. Max Ramirez IV (5-0) is on the mound for the Border Cats. Andrew Regner is scheduled to pitch for La Crosse.
Game time is 6:35 p.m.
