Border Cats collect 2-0 win over River Bats, lockup first in division

Border Cats starting pitcher Michael Woytek (1-0) should prove to be a reliable team asset on the road.

After a two-day road trip from Columbus, Ohio, the right-handed starter shutdown the St. Cloud River Bats for six innings at Port Arthur Stadium Monday. The performance helped his Border Cats ball club (4-1) earn a 2-0 victory, which puts them in first place in the Northwoods League North Division.

"I drove in yesterday so my legs felt a bit rusty," Woytek said after the game. "I felt great and had good command of the strike zone. I ran into a little bit of trouble in that first inning, but managed to just settle down and everything started working."

Woytek started his drive toward Thunder Bay on Saturday. After 12 hours on the road he settled down for a night. The next morning he began another seven-hour drive before finally arriving at Port Arthur Stadium Sunday.

If the road trip did any damage to the starter’s performance on the mound, it would have been in the first inning. Woytek allowed a hit to River Bats designated hitter John Schultz (.357) before an error and another hit loaded the bases.

Woytek kept his cool and pitched to contact, which allowed his defence to cash in the third out and strand three River Bats runners.

"I just had some great defence behind me," Woytek said about the inning. "It was just a couple unfortunate hits, some broken-bat hits, but the defence behind me just made some great plays."

From the second inning to the sixth, Woytek would let the River Bats and 566 Border Cat fans know why he was chosen as the game’s starter – retiring nine-straight batters and striking out three while only allowing one walk and a hit.

The Border Cats scored twice in the second, which eventually forced the River Bats starter Joe Kurrasch out of game. Northwood League pitch-count rules do not allow a pitcher to return after throwing more than 30 pitches in a single inning.

While the Cats were able to rattle the starter, who had trouble with his command in the second, manager Mike Steed said his offence could have had a stronger outing against him.

"To be honest, I think if he would have come back out we would have been in the same suit," he said. "I think we needed another inning to really hammer the nail into that coffin."

Border Cats shortstop Brett Doe’s single in the second drove in the Cats’ winning run. Garret Houts provided his team with insurance with a walk that forced Ty Wosleger home.

The Border Cats will face the River Bats in their second of a two-game series at Port Arthur Stadium Tuesday. That game is scheduled to start at 6:35 p.m. The Cats will then hit the road for a six-game road trip.