CATS WIN THIRD STRAIGHT

The Border Cats finished up the first half of the season winning their third in a row 6-1 over St. Cloud Thursday night at Port Arthur Stadium.  Curtis Wagner (Santa Clara) had a 2-4 night with a double and a two-run home run in the 8th inning, his first of the season.  New Mexico teammates Cameron Smith and Adam Courcha both had two hits apiece and Derek Hamblen (Belmont) went 2-4 as the Cats finished up the first half with a 9-25 record.  Randy Mower (St. Joseph's) pitched seven strong innings to improve his record to 2-3.  The southpaw allowed six hits and one unearned run while striking out two.  Luis Castillo made his debut in relief for the Border Cats pitching a scoreless 8th inning.  Castillo, from Burlington, ON, was signed by Thunder Bay out of Bellevue University in Nebraska.  The righthander went 8-2 this past season in 19 games with a 3.44 earned run average.  The Cats begin the second half of the campaign Friday in Brainerd against the Lunkers.  Belmont Abbey righthander Tyler Powell (0-2) will get the start for Thunder Bay.

CATS SWEEP TWINBILL FROM BATS

The Border Cats made Canada Day a memorable one at Port Arthur Stadium sweeping St. Cloud 2-0 and 7-6 in a holiday doubleheader before a season high crowd of 895.  Garrett Yount (Central Arizona College) and Matt Dwyer (Ripon College) combined on a nine hit shutout as the Cats took the opener.  Yount notched his 1st win of the season and Dwyer his 1st save.  A.J. Schugel (Central Arizona College) hit his 2nd home run and went 2-4 on the day.  Aaron Munoz (Gateway CC) also had a pair of hits in three at bats.  In the second game, the Cats erased a 4-0 River Bats lead by sending 10 men to the plate and scoring six times in the bottom of the first inning.  Lead off batter Cameron Smith (New Mexico) got the big inning started with his first home run of the year.  David Phillips (Ole Miss) and Eddie Brown (Seton Hall) both went 2-4 at the plate.  Matt Singer (Seton Hall) picked up the win with 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to even his record at 2-2.  Chris Marlowe (Navarro College) got the final three outs for his 4th save.  The Cats conclude the first half of the season with the final game of the four game series against St. Cloud tonight at 7:05 p.m.  Lefthander Randy Mower (St. Joseph's) will take his 1-3 record to the mound for Thunder Bay.  It's Ladies Night presented by La Moda Salon & Day Spa.  All ladies 13 and over receive 1/2 price Reserved Seats.    

A.J. Schugel's RBI single in the top of the 8th inning broke a 2-2 tie scoring Garret Houts (USC) with the winning run as the Border Cats beat the River Bats 3-2 in St. Cloud on Friday night.  Schugel (Central Arizona College) went 2-4 at the plate as the Cats finished up their four game road trip with a 2-2 record.  Adam Courcha (New Mexico) added two hits in three at bats.  Reliever Matt Singer (Seton Hall) struck out three over 1 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win and even his record at 1-1.  Chris Marlowe (Navarro) pitched the 9th inning for his 3rd save.  Tyler Powell (Belmont Abbey) had his best start of the season for Thunder Bay.  Powell pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and two runs.  The righthander walked two and struck out six.  Before the game, the Cats released outfielder Ryan Honeycutt.  Honeycutt (New Mexico) had been bothered by an ankle injury that limited him to primarily a designated hitter role.  In 14 games, he batted .262 with one double and two RBI's in 42 at bats.  The Cats return home Saturday for the start of a six game homestand with the first of two games against the Rochester Honkers at 7:05 p.m.  Lefthander Colin Bear will make his 5th start of the season for the Cats.  The lefthander from Northwestern State University is 1-2 with a 5.19 earned run average.  Saturday is Habs versus Leafs Night!  Wear your Montreal or Toronto jersey for a chance to win some great prizes during the game.  It's also Senior Saturday presented by the Thunder Bay 55-Plus Centre.  All senior reserved seats are only $7.00.    

The Border Cats won for the second time on the road this season beating the Lunkers 3-2 in Brainerd Tuesday night.  Matt Robertson (Barton CC) tossed seven innings of one run ball to improve to 3-2.  The righthander allowed eight hits, one walk, and struck out two.  Robertson has three of the Cats five wins this season.  Chris Marlowe (Navarro College) pitched a scoreless 9th inning for his 2nd save.  Garret Houts (USC) went 2-4 and drove in two runs.  Newcomer Eli Tupuola (Virterbo) also had a 2-4 night at the plate.  The Cats lead the season series against the Lunkers 2-1 heading into the final game of the two game set tonight in Brainerd.  Garrett Yount (Central Arizona College) will come out of the bullpen to make his first start for Thunder Bay.  The righthander is 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA in seven appearances this season. 

LIND SIGNS WITH BREWERS

Former Border Cats second baseman Connor Lind has signed a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.  Lind inked a deal as a non-drafted free agent following his collegiate career at Furman University in Greenville, SC.  The native of Burr Ridge, IL played in 62 games during the Cats NWL Championship season in 2008.  Lind hit .247 with 25 runs batted in and also pitched in one game earning a save against Duluth.  He also won the Rawlings "Finest in the Field Award" as the top defensive second baseman in the Northwoods League.  Lind is currently playing rookie ball in the Arizona League with the Brewers club in Phoenix.  Meanwhile, another former Border Cats pitcher was taken in the MLB First Year Player Draft earlier this month.  Righthander Jake Schmidt from St. Paul's Concordia University was selected in the 41st round, 1,250th overall, by the Chicago Cubs.  Schmidt pitched in nine games in 2008, going 2-1 with a 2.30 earned run average.  He also saw time as an outfielder/DH where he hit .316 in 15 games with one double and four runs batted in.  Schmidt joins Brett Brach (Cleveland), Danny Rosenbaum (Washington), Derek Wiley (Atlanta), and Brett Holland (San Diego) as players who were drafted from the 2008 Border Cats NWL Championship team. 

CATS MAKE ROSTER MOVE

The Border Cats made a roster move on the weekend by placing catcher/first baseman Dan Welch on waivers.  Welch (Central Arizona College) had requested his release for an opportunity to try out this summer for the Canadian team that will participate in the 2010 World University Games.  In 16 games, the native of Victoria, BC hit .163 with one double in 49 at bats.      

CATS ADD INFIELDER

The Border Cats have added some depth in the infield with the signing of Eli Tupuola.  The switch hitting shortstop-third baseman just completed his junior season at Viterbo University in Wisconsin where he plays for former Border Cats manager Chad Miller.  Tupuola hit a team high .369 with the Hawks this past season with 12 doubles and 25 runs batted in.  The San Diego, CA native led Viterbo in hits with 62 in 47 games.  Tupuola, who can also play second base, will help fill a spot in the infield following the injury to third baseman Chris Curley.  He will be in uniform tonight wearing number 8 when the Cats open a two game series against Alexandria at 7:05 p.m. at Port Arthur Stadium.

CURLEY OUT WITH INJURY

Tuesday's 5-3 win over Alexandria was a costly one as third baseman Chris Curley broke a bone in his left hand after being hit by a pitch.  Curley, who is entering his senior season at Campbellsville University will miss 4-6 weeks.  The three year veteran of the Cats hopes to return sometime after the NWL All Star Game on July 21st in Thunder Bay.  Curley was batting .321 this season with one home run and seven RBI's in 15 games.  He is the team's all time leader in games played (140), hits (137), home runs (13), and runs batted in (63).  

CATS WIN ON ROAD

The Border Cats picked up their first road win of the season Tuesday night in Alexandria beating the Beetles 5-3.  Thunder Bay took the lead scoring four runs in the top of the 7th inning for its first victory in 11 away games.  Matt Robertson (Barton CC) pitched seven innings to even his record at 2-2.  The righthander allowed four hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out three.  Puerto Rican righthander Miguel Valcarcel (St. John's) gave up a run in the 9th, but earned his first save.  Cameron Smith (New Mexico) delivered a big two-run single in the 7th inning as he went 1-3 with a run scored in the win.  Ryan Honeycutt (New Mexico) was 2-3 with an RBI and Eddie Brown (Seton Hall) had a 2-3 night with a double.  David Phillips (Ole Miss) had two hits in five at-bats with an RBI in his Cats debut.  Phillips, a outfielder/first baseman, just completed his junior season at Mississippi.  The 6'1", 295 pounder batted .290 in 51 games, with two home runs and 20 RBI's.  The Cats and Beetles resume their two game series tonight in Alexandria, MN at 8:05 p.m. ET.   

CATS BACK IN WIN COLUMN

The Border Cats snapped a seven game losing streak Sunday night beating Brainerd 4-1 at Port Arthur Stadium. The Cats combined great pitching, excellent defence, and timely hitting in picking up their 3rd win of the season.  Colin Bear (Northwestern State) gave the Cats a much needed solid outing on the mound firing a complete game five hitter.  The lefthander allowed only one run in the seventh inning.  Bear walked three and struck out seven as he evened his record at 1-1.  Chris Curley (Campbellsville) went 2-3, while new shortstop Garrett Totten (Texas Tech) had a 2-4 night at the plate with an RBI triple.  The Cats will send A.J. Schugel to the mound in the final game of the homestand tonight against the Lunkers at 7:05 p.m.  The righthander from Central Arizona College is 0-2 this season with a 4.91 ERA.  Monday is "Chronicle Journal Carrier Night" and the first 300 fans will receive souvenir hand clappers.  It's also MP3 Monday presented by the Power Centre.

WILEY, HOLLAND PICKED IN MLB DRAFT

Another two players from the 2008 Border Cats NWL championship team were taken on the third and final day of the Major League Baseball first year player draft Thursday.  First Baseman Derek Wiley was selected in the 31st round, 928th overall, by the Atlanta Braves and Pitcher Brett Holland was taken in the 49th round, 1,464th overall, by the San Diego Padres.  Wiley tied a Border Cats team record by playing in all 68 regular season games last season.  The Belmont University slugger batted .277 with Thunder Bay with seven home runs and 43 runs batted in.  Wiley tied for the club lead in homers and RBI's.  He also blasted a memorable two-run home run in the first inning of the 3rd and deciding game of the championship series against Madison.  Holland was the winning pitcher in that final game.  The righthander reliever from Texas-Tyler made 21 apperances in 2008, going 3-2 with one save and a 2.33 earned run average.  Both Wiley and Holland were chosen by the Oakland Athletics in the 2008 draft, but elected to return to college for their senior seasons.  Meanwhile, a 2009 Border Cats recruit was also taken on the final day of the draft.  Pitcher James Wooster, who has yet to play with Thunder Bay this season, was selected in the 44th round, 1,334th overall, by the New York Mets.  The hard throwing lefthander just completed his junior season at Alvin Community College in Texas.      

FORMER CATS PITCHERS TAKEN IN MLB DRAFT

Two members of the starting rotation from the 2008 Border Cats NWL Championship team were taken on day two of the 2009 Major League Baseball first year player draft.  Righthander Brett Brach was taken in the 10th round, 305th overall, by the Cleveland Indians.  Brach was the hard luck loser on the Cats staff last season. The junior from Monmouth University was 4-8 in 13 games with a 4.10 earned run average.  Brach led the club with 67 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched.  Lefthander Danny Rosenbaum was taken in the 22nd round, 652nd overall, by the Washington Nationals. A junior at Cinncinati's Xavier University, Rosenbaum made 10 appearances for the Cats in 2008, going 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA.  Righthander Matt Fields was taken 18 picks later in the 22nd round, 670th overall, by the Toronto Blue Jays.  Fields just completed his senior season at Gonzaga University.  In 2007 with Thunder Bay, he was 5-5 with a 1.70 earned run average in 11 starts.  Fields holds the Cats single season record for strikeouts with 86.   

CATS SIGN PITCHER FROM PUERTO RICO

The Border Cats have signed pitcher Miguel Valcarcel from Carolina, Puerto Rico.  Varcarcel just completed his junior season at St. John's University in New York, where he was a teammate of former Cats catcher Danny Benedetti.  The 6'2", 200 pounder appeared in 17 games this past season for the Red Storm including three starts.  He was 1-1 with a 4.88 earned run average and one save.  The hard throwing righthander had 21 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched.  Varcarcel, who will work out of the Cats bullpen, was drafted in the 32nd round of the 2006 Major League Draft by the Colorado Rockies. 

CATS WIN HOME OPENER 

The Border Cats got in the win column Wednesday night in their home opener, beating the Green Bay Bullfrogs 3-2.  A crowd of 811 turned out on a sunny, but cool evening at Port Arthur Stadium.  Righthander Matt Roberston (Barton CC) took a shutout into the 9th inning before giving up a two-run home run to Green Bay First baseman Paul Hoenecke.  Robertson (1-1), pitched eight innings allowing just five hits, and two runs, while walking three and striking out seven.  Chris Marlowe (Navarro) got the final three outs for his first save.  Third Baseman Chris Curley (Campbellsville) went 1-3 with an RBI triple and Left Fielder Cameron Smith (New Mexico) had a 1-2 night at the plate with a run scoring double and a walk.  Second Baseman Eddie Brown (Seton Hall) drove in Thunder Bay's other run with a 2nd inning single.  The Cats and Bullfrogs meet again tonight at 7:05 p.m.  The first 350 fans will receive a 2009 Border Cats Magnetic Schedule courtesy of Swiss Chalet.  It's also Ladies Night presented by La Moda Salon & Day Spa.  All ladies 13 and over receive half price Reserved Seats. 

NWL ALL STARS COMING TO THUNDER BAY 

The Border Cats are proud and excited to present to our fans the 2009 All Star Game logo.  The NWL All Star Game will take place Tuesday, July 21st, at Port Arthur Stadium.  Game time is 6:05 p.m and the mid-summer classic will be broadcast on FOX Sports.  It's the first time the annual All Star showcase featuring future Major League Baseball stars will be played in Canada.  The All Star Dinner will be held on Monday, July 20th, at the Best Western Nor'Wester Resort Hotel.  The guest speaker will be Canadian Ferguson Jenkins, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.  A limited number of tickets for the All Star Dinner are on sale at the Border Cats stadium office.    

  BORDER CATS 2008 NWL CHAMPIONS!

The Border Cats captured their second Northwoods League Championship in four years, coming from behind to beat the Madison Mallards 6-5 in the third and deciding game on Sunday night.  A crowd of 1,872 at Port Arthur Stadium cheered loudly as the Cats rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 8th to erase a 5-3 Madison lead.  Derek Wiley (Belmont) hit a two-run home run in the 1st inning and drove home the tying run with an infield single in the last of the 8th.  A throwing error by Mallards shortstop Brandon Wikoff on Wiley's infield hit scored Mike O'Neill (USC) with the winning run.  Michael Raymond (Belmont Abbey) had a solid start in the deciding game for Thunder Bay.  The righthander went six innings, allowing six hits and one run, with one walk and seven strikeouts.  Brett Holland (Texas-Tyler) picked up the win in relief, improving his playoff record to 2-0.  Jimmy Stanley (Belmont) closed out another win for the Cats in the top of the 9th for his second save of the playoffs and 17th overall.  Wiley was also selected Northwoods League Player of the Night.  The Border Cats played four straight one run games in the playoffs and won the opener of the North Division Final by a 5-3 score over Mankato with a pair of runs in the top of the 9th.  Counting their magical post season run, the Cats compiled an overall record of 46-27 under the direction of first year manager Devin McIntosh.  The Cats second championship once again came against the Mallards as Thunder Bay defeated Madison in three games in 2005. 

NWL ALL STAR GAME

Tues. July 21st

6:05 p.m. 

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