THUNDER BAY – SPORTS – The Thunder Bay Border Cats’ season of “up and down ball” persisted on Sunday, July 6, 2025. Following an extra-innings victory on Saturday, the Cats fell 8-3 to the Rochester Honkers at Port Arthur Stadium.
This defeat highlights the Thunder Bay team’s ongoing struggles with consistency in the second half of the Northwoods League season, where they are “hitting the ball and missing the ball”.
The Honkers took an early and decisive lead, scoring four runs in the first inning against Border Cats starting pitcher John McDonald. McDonald was ultimately tagged with the loss, his outing lasting only one inning, in which he gave up three hits and four earned runs.
Despite the early deficit, the Border Cats responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Tyrus Hall’s double and subsequent run, along with Manny Alberto’s RBI double, provided some initial hope for Thunder Bay.
The Border Cats managed another run in the third inning, narrowing the gap to 4-3, but their offense stalled afterward. They were held scoreless for the remainder of the game, finishing with eight hits in total and leaving seven runners on base.
Rochester, meanwhile, extended their lead in the sixth and eighth innings, adding one and three runs respectively, to secure the 8-3 victory. Honkers’ pitcher Beau Alazaus earned the win, while Joseph Steventon closed out the game for the save.
Thunder Bay’s pitching staff saw multiple changes throughout the game after McDonald’s early exit. Mason Kosowick, Collin Berry, Ethan Froud, Jabe Schlehuber, Bracken Rice, Jacob Miller, and Jackson Irwin all took to the mound, attempting to contain the Honkers’ offence.
Jacob Miller gave up three runs in his inning, though none were earned. The Border Cats also committed two errors in the game, compared to Rochester’s one, which likely contributed to the final score.
The 1,715 fans at Port Arthur Stadium witnessed a game that underscored the Border Cats’ challenge of maintaining momentum.
To turn their season around, the Border Cats will need to find greater consistency both at the plate and on the mound in upcoming games.
The Cats are on the road until July 12th when they return to Port Arthur Stadium.
