Border Cats bats are breaking out in a big way in La Crosse

LA CROSSE, WISC. – Zane Skansi, Jackson Cooke and Ty Hamilton hit home runs 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 each, part of an 18-hit attack against a trio of La Crosse Loggers pitchers that led to a 12-3 victory.

Thunder Bay saw the Loggers up 2–0 in the first, but stormed back to take a one-point lead with three in the second and two more in the third to lead 5–2.

The two teams traded points in the fifth, with the Border Cats adding two more in the seventh to close out the game, and for good measure they kept the attack going in the ninth, adding four more.

Cooke and Hamilton each had three RBIs to support starter Sean Heppner, who lasted until two outs in the fifth, giving up three runs on four hits and five walks. Case Sanderson did the most damage against Heppner, hitting a two-out home run in the bottom of the fifth.

Despite allowing eight runs on 12 hits, La Cross starter Tyler Albanese managed to pitch the seventh inning for the Loggers (19-10).

Jake Jakubowski followed with an inning-and-two-thirds scoreless relief, followed by Will Girardi’s four-run, five-hit effort to decide the game.

The Cats and Loggers meet again on Friday. Thunder Bay returns home to host the Rochester Honkers on Saturday.