Bethany Lutheran College junior and Viking baseball pitcher Alex Babcock (Elk River, Minn.) recently signed a short-term contract with the Thunder Bay Border Cats of the Northwoods League during the team’s recent road trip to Waterloo, Iowa.

Babcock was a First Team All-Upper Midwest Athletic Conference honoree in 2016 and had an impressive season for the Vikings on the mound. He led the team with a 1.60 ERA in 45.0 innings pitched. The right-hander finished the season with 39 strikeouts and a 5-1 record while also collecting a pair of saves for the Vikings.

Babcock played his high school ball for Elk River (Minn.) High School and was a member of the Class 3A consolation championship squad in 2014. At Elk River, Babcock was also a National Honor Society member. At Bethany, he is an exercise science major and is considering a career as a doctor of chiropractic.

Besides being recruited to play ball for the Vikings, Babcock says the primary reasons for attending Bethany were the small class sizes and the friendly students and faculty.

Babcock is scheduled to make his Border Cats debut on Friday, July 28 against the La Crosse Loggers. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Fans can follow along with Babcock and the Border Cats by visiting their team website.

The Northwoods League is one of the nation’s premier summer collegiate baseball leagues. More than 160 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball.