Without Zach Thiac, the Thunder Bay Border Cats would be in a whole heap of trouble.
On a staff whose collective earned run average was 6.16 to start the week, the Kenner, La. left-hander has been a saviour coming out of the bullpen in a long-relief role, posting a 2-1 record with a sparkling 2.86 ERA.
A starter in college, Thiac has embraced his new role in the Northwoods League, earning an invitation to next week’s mid-season all-star game, the lone Border Cats player to get the call.
“It’s an honour. I’m very privileged to be a part of that,” the 19-year-old said Saturday, after pitching a scoreless inning in the Cats 6-1 series finale over the visiting St. Cloud Rox.
Thiac, who plays at Nicholls State University, said he wasn’t sure what to expect when he arrived in Thunder Bay, only that he wasn’t going to start.
“I knew I was going to be a relief pitcher. I didn’t know I was going to have as extensive work as I do right now. But I’m here for fun, I’m loving it and I wish I could stay longer,” said Thiac, whose Innings count will likely mean an early end to his rookie season in the Northwoods League.
Likely no pitcher in the summer circuit has been called on to get his team out of so many jams.
Thiac is regularly pulled into games after an early explosion against the Border Cats starters, his job to hold the opposition long enough for the Cats bats to start heating up.
Six times he’s pitched three innings or more, and only five times has he tossed three outs or fewer in 20 appearances. Usually there are multiple runners on base when he enters the game.
Thiac takes his role in stride.
“I just pretend (the runners) aren’t there,” he said. “As you can tell, I don’t pick off often. I just act like the batter is there and him only. I don’t worry about the base runners ever.”
Rarely does he let manager Dan Holcomb down.
The first-year manager is especially impressed at what Thiac’s accomplished as a freshman, in a league dominated by juniors.
“It’s a very tough league to be successful in that early. He came up and he’s been food for us all year. Every time we put him in the game he’s either gotten out of a big situation or shut a team down and given us a chance to win,” Holcomb said.
“He’s done exactly what we wanted any reliever to do for us.”
Holcomb added he wasn’t sure what to expect when he signed the 5-foot-10 southpaw.
“We knew he was going to be a pretty good pitcher. I know his coaches down in Nicholls and they spoke extremely highly of him, both as a player and as a person,” Holcomb said. “So we were expecting big things, but not necessarily an all-star vote. You never expect that out of a freshman. You expect some ups and downs.
“He’s had some good outings and some not-so-good ones. But he’s given us a lot more good than bad and he’s been able to be consistent all year and when you’re consistent you have a good chance of being an all-star.”
Teammate Clint Knoblauch, the Cats most consistent starter this season, said he’s glad Thiac has his back most nights.
“It’s outstanding. I feel 100 per cent comfortable with Zach coming in after me, because he gets the job done. He pitches the same way I do and just gets guys out.”
The Northwoods League all-star game is scheduled for July 23 in Eau Claire, Wisc.
The Border Cats next home game is scheduled for July 25 at Subway Field against the Duluth Huskies.
