Huskies Surrender 9-1 Lead, Lose in 10 at Thunder Bay
Northwoods Duluth Huskies

Huskies Surrender 9-1 Lead, Lose in 10 at Thunder Bay

July 30, 2025 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Duluth Huskies News Release


THUNDER BAY, ON - The Duluth Huskies lost a heartbreaking finale against the Thunder Bay Border Cats, 13-12.

The Huskies, playing as the Duluth Dukes for the second and final time this season, faced off against the Border Cats, playing under the guise of the Whiskey Jacks on a joint throwback night in Canada.

Things got off to a hot start for the Huskies, putting up a pair of runs in the first inning. Rowan Kelly scored on a wild pitch, just moments before George McIntyre blasted a ball to deep left field for a home run, his first of the 2025 campaign.

Against Duluth starter Jackson Kendall, the Cats could only manage a single run in the first. Kendall worked around traffic and a sac fly by Jacob Steinberg to earn a swinging strikeout of Calvin Warrillow, ending the inning.

In the third, the Huskies got to Border Cats starter Ethan Minaker once more. Centerfielder Rowan Kelly singled and erstwhile third baseman Noah Furcht walked. With one out, recent Huskies addition George McIntyre doubled to left to score both, making it 4-1 Duluth.

After Paul Contreras walked, the Cats went to their pen. Left fielder Reagan Reeder kicked things off against Thunder Bay reliever Will Humphrey, singling to center to drive in McIntyre. Cal Elvis drove in Reeder and Contreras, bringing the score to 7-1 in favor of the Huskies. A Rowan Kelly RBI single brought in one final run, capping off a six-run inning and sending the game into the bottom of the third at 8-1, Huskies.

After another scoreless inning pitched by Kendall, Ethan Surowiec belted a baseball in the top of the fourth, sending his fourteenth home run of the year over the fence for a 9-1 lead.

Thunder Bay finally replied in the fifth, with four runs of their own. Duluth was quick to respond, however, reclaiming their momentum.

After Thunder Bay's Bracken Rice struck out Furcht and Surowiec, McIntyre hit a two-out single and Paul Contreras laced a triple to bring in the Huskies' tenth run. He would score a batter later as Reeder shot another single to make it 11-5.

Thunder Bay replied again, with single runs in their halves of the sixth and seventh innings, but the Huskies kept the pressure on. This time, it was Paul Contreras coming up big again in the top of the eighth. His RBI single to left allowed Noah Furcht to score, making it 12-7.

Things turned ugly for Duluth after that. Lou Rivera loaded the bases, with three free passes after getting the first two batters out routinely. With Whiskey Jacks on every base, Kaiden Ashton doubled to clear the bags. Rivera recovered to get the final out of the inning, though, and the game went into the ninth at 12-10.

After the Huskies failed to score, Danny Hesse entered the game to pitch for the bottom of the ninth. The Border Cats got a one-out double by Steinberg, and a single by Caleb Watkins. Watkins then stole second, and both runners were driven home by Ayden Hadley's RBI double. With the game tied, Hesse got the last out, but the game went into extras.

Collin Berry of Thunder Bay was magnificent in the top of the tenth inning, striking out Furcht, new entry to the game Elijah Fairchild, and McIntyre. Danny Hesse went to the mound in the tenth, with the hope of sending the game into the eleventh. He earned the first two outs after tough battles, but in the end it was Jeremy Sheffield's laced RBI single to right that sealed the Huskies' fate. The walk-off ended the game in the tenth with a 13-12 defeat of the Twin Ports Pups.

On Deck:

Duluth will have to face the Border Cats again for the next two games at home. After that, its a split home-and-home with Eau Claire.



Northwoods League Stories from July 30, 2025


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