THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – It was a red-hot start and a solid finish for the Thunder Bay Border Cats as they launched their 2025 Lake Superior Cup campaign with a statement victory—crushing the Duluth Huskies 9-4 Tuesday night at Port Arthur Stadium.
And folks, if there were any doubts about this Cats lineup clicking early in the season, they were erased in a hurry.
Right from the jump, the Border Cats pounced—putting a strong number on the board with a five-run first inning that blew the game wide open. Back in the lineup and back in form, Ty Hamilton and Greg LeChance—two cornerstone pieces from last year’s squad— both who wasted no time making their presence felt.
Hamilton? Electric. The outfielder went 2-for-4, swiped two bases, drove in a pair, and scored a run. But the real jaw-dropper came later—get this: a double steal where he took second, third, and home on a single sequence with teammate Kael Babin.
LeChance, meanwhile, showed off veteran poise at the plate—going 1-for-2 with three walks, a stolen base, and two RBI. One of those runs? A bases-loaded walk in the second that had Duluth reliever Matt Juza looking for answers.
Also stepping up big time: Braxton Templin, who knocked in two runs in that monster first inning, while Jeremy Sheffield and Manny Alberto added an RBI apiece.
On the bump, Thunder Bay starter John McDonald was cool as ice—delivering three shutout innings, giving up just two hits and striking out four.
William Spang (W, 1-0) picked up the win in relief. Despite issuing 11 walks, the Cats’ defense locked it down with double plays in both the fourth and sixth innings to keep the Huskies from capitalizing.
Solid fielding secured the win.
Duluth did scratch out some late offense—Noah Furcht doubled home Michael Smith in the seventh, and Reagan Reeder chipped in an RBI double in the ninth—but it wasn’t nearly enough.
With the win, Thunder Bay evens their record at 4-4, and they’ll look to sweep the two-game series Wednesday morning with a special 11:05 a.m. school day start.
Stay tuned—this Lake Superior Cup is just heating up.
