Josh Castanza wouldn’t admit he was nervous, but his manager Jason Nell was.

The left-handed reliever came in to protect a one-run Mankato lead with two runners on and no outs in the ninth. Castanza shut the Thunder Bay batters down to give the MoonDogs a 4-3 win over the Border Cats in a Northwoods League baseball game Wednesday at Franklin Rogers Park.

“If your heart wasn’t thumping (in the ninth) you might not be a baseball fan,” Nell said. “I was very fearful when their hitters came up to bat but Josh threw strikes and got ahead of the hitters.”

Mankato fell behind 2-0 in the third inning as MoonDogs starter Bryan Longpre allowed a leadoff single and back-to-back doubles.

Longpre got himself in trouble in the fourth when he walked the bases loaded. But with one out, center fielder Michael Rockett caught a fly ball in shallow right and gunned out a tagging Nate Woods at the plate.

Mankato scored all of its runs on a two-out rally in the bottom of the fourth. Carlos Ramirez scored on a Ryan Rummel infield single and two batters later, CJ Belanger ripped a three run triple off the right field wall to put the MoonDogs up for good.

“CJ looked rejuvenated today in batting practice,” Nell said. “He’s been on a tear for us lately.”

Thunder Bay added a run in the sixth inning thanks to a walk, an error and a wild pitch to make it a one-run game.

Longpre and the Mankato bullpen held the Border Cats hitless until the ninth but Thunder Bay’s pitching was equally solid as the MoonDogs went hitless too.

“That’s what happens when you throw strikes,” Nell said. “You make them put the ball in play and they get themselves out. I don’t expect that to happen tomorrow because (Thunder Bay) will come ready to play.”

Belanger’s big hit was Mankato’s last for the entire game, but in the end it didn’t matter thanks to Castanza. Zach Calhoon started the ninth inning but walked the first two batters.

Castanza gave up an infield single to load the bases with no outs.

“I wasn’t nervous,” Castanza said. “I knew I’d have defense behind me so I’d just make them put it in play and make the defense do work.”

But he didn’t need his defense all that much, as he got a line out and struck out two batters swinging to end the game and pick up his first save of the season.

“I wanted to get us the win and pick up the rest of the staff,” Castanza said. “We really needed to beat these guys so it felt good.”