Borders’ Debut a Night to Remember--And Forget

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — History will remember this night. Ila Borders would rather forget it.

Borders became the first woman to pitch in a regular-season game Saturday night, when she came in during the sixth inning of the St. Paul Saints’ Northern League game against the Sioux Falls Canaries.

But she struggled from the outset, facing three batters and giving up three earned runs without getting an out. The Canaries went on to win, 11-1.

“That’s going to haunt me for the rest of my life,” Borders said as she grimly signed autographs for about 30 minutes after the game. “I don’t think you’re ever going to bounce back from that. It’s always going to be with you.”

Borders, a left-hander, received a loud standing ovation from the announced crowd of 3,335 at Sioux Falls Stadium when she relieved Saint starter George Glinatsis with two outs in the sixth. The Canaries led, 4-0, and had a runner at third.

Borders hit the first batter she faced, lefty Paul Cruz, with a first-pitch curveball. She then went to a 2-2 count on righty Michael Dumas before she was called for a balk on a pitch that Dumas grounded weakly to shortstop. The balk forced in the runner from third and gave Dumas another chance.

He lined the full-count pitch back at Borders. She knocked it down, but threw wildly to first for an error that enabled Cruz to score for a 6-0 Sioux Falls lead.

John Tsoukalas followed with an RBI double to right-center on a 2-1 pitch to make it 7-0.

“I think we were both a little nervous,” Tsoukalas said. “I know she had to be really nervous. . . . Nobody wants to get out by her, so I think that’s going to make it even tougher for her.”

Tsoukalas’ hit brought Manager Marty Scott from the dugout. The fans booed Scott as he took the ball from Borders, but they cheered her as she ran to the dugout to finish her historic--and disappointing--performance.

“I did awful, it’s as plain as that,” she said.

At 22, the youngest player on the independent Saints’ roster, Borders admitted she was jittery, but she didn’t use that as an excuse.

“That was the most nervous thing I’ve gone through in my entire life,” she said. “And I failed.”