Stingers throttle Border Cats on Opening Day

The Thunder Bay Border Cats did not start the 2013 season on a winning note.

The Northwoods League squad managed just four hits on the road on Wednesday night, falling 7-1 on opening day to the Willmar Stingers.

Willmar exploded for four runs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead, and added one more in the fifth before the Cats got on the scoreboard in the seventh.

Kyle Westhuis drove in the only run of the night for Thunder Bay, singling to score Joey Hawkins from second.

Chad Mayne got the start for the Border Cats and lasted 6.1 innings, allowing seven earned runs on five hits and four walks.
Zach Thiac was solid in relief, surrendering just a hit and a walk in 1.2 inning.

Steven Brault earned the win for Willmar, thanks to a six-inning, two-hit performance.

Kyle Perry and Marc Flores did the damage for the Stingers offensively. Perry went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four driven in, while Flores had three hits and an equal number of RBIs. Perry hit a three-run bomb in the second, while Flores went deep with the bases empty in the fifth.

The two sides will tangle again on Thursday.

The Cats home opener is scheduled for Saturday night at 6:05 p.m. at Subway Field.