It wasn’t easy, but the Wildcats, now playing their best baseball of the season, finally evened up their record at 9-9 (.500) with a huge, 6-1 win over Nordonia on Tuesday at Baldwin Wallace University.
In the squad’s second game of six games in six days, the Wildcats were looking to just improve and get into a better rhythm. With Braydon Nelson out on the mound, the Wildcats did just that.
Nelson allowed one run all game long and that lone run came in the first inning. But after that, he settled down and struck out six Knights in seven innings of work. The St. Bonaventure recruit surrendered six hits and did not walk any Nordonia batters in his third win of the year.
After the first inning not once did Nordonia threaten to get back into the ballgame. Nelson got the Knights to groundout 10 times and notched three 1-2-3 innings. In addition, the senior threw just 70 pitches, 52 of which were strikes.
The dominant outing by Braydon was one highlight of the game. The second was the offense once again lighting up the scoreboard and helping its starter out.
The offense started rolling in the second inning. The Wildcats scored on a bases loaded wild pitch with Jeff Chonko crossing home plate to tie the contest. Then with the bases loaded and one out, Mark Geraci got his second hit, roping an RBI single to center to make it 2-1 Wildcats.
Still in the second, sophomore AJ Gaich, making just his second varsity start, scored on another wild pitch that went to the backstop to make the score 3-1. And in the same at-bat, Connor Adams lined an RBI single to center, scoring Seth Warren to make it 4-1 Wildcats.
Manager Brad Ganor’s squad then added some insurance to their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Geraci struck for his second RBI of the day, lining a single to center to bring home Gaich. Adams then wrapped up the scoring by hitting into a fielder’s choice and bringing home Evan Steigerwald. The Wildcats’ 6-1 lead held easily in the end.
All in all, the Wildcats produced one of their best team wins of the year to advance to 9-9. Geraci had himself a day at the plate, hitting 3-for-4 with 2 RBI’s. Jack Seifert extended his prowl at the plate, going 1-for-4. Chonko went 1-for-2, walking and scoring a run. And AJ Gaich earned his first ever varsity hit in his career with a line drive to left in the sixth inning. A quality win for the Wildcats.
Saint Ignatius now gears up for a 5:00 p.m. showdown with the Benedictine Bengals, whose postseason hopes ended on Tuesday with a 10-3 loss to Chagrin Falls in the Division II Euclid District Sectional Final.