The Wildcats won their fifth straight after a 10-1 victory over the Avon Eagles Monday night at Brookside. Like the match-ups vs. Solon and Gilmour, the Wildcats found themselves down early after the opening inning. This time they trailed the Eagles 1-0 after the top half of the first. The Blue and Gold would rattle off ten unanswered for the win vs. Avon.

Aidan Cooney got the start against Avon on a crisp 50 degrees spring night in the Metroparks. Cooney got into trouble early against the Eagles as he would walk back-to-back batters in the top half of the first. After a passed ball, Avon had runners and second and third with one out. First baseman Andrew Siler would bring home the Eagles first and only run with an RBI sacrifice fly to center field. Cooney would come back and strike out the next Avon batter to work out of minor trouble.

In the bottom half of the first inning, Saint Ignatius saw 12 batters come to the plate in a monster inning. Matt Giberti got on base early as Avon’s second baseman Karl Wearsch was hit with an error as Giberti reached safely. Billy Adams and Anthony Paskell would rip back-to-back singles to load the bases for the Cats. The freshman clean-up hitter Sawyer Solitaria would draw a walk to tie the ball game at first. The big blow in the inning for the Eagles was a Gabe Nard three RBI triple that he scorched down the left-field line.

As the Wildcats would bat around in the first inning, they would load the bases for the second time in the inning. Giberti drew an RBI walk that scored Nard from third, giving the Cats a 5-1 lead after one inning.

Cooney was lights out for the next two innings for the Wildcats as he would strike out two more Eagles and have a 1-2-3 third inning. Cooney went three full innings, allowing one hit and one run while striking out four.

“Pitching with the lead was a major factor, scoring five runs in that first inning,” says Cooney. “I trusted my defense; the infield made some great plays and Jacob Eiermann called a great game behind home plate.”

The Wildcats bats would get hot once again in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Adams singled to left to lead off the inning. Adams finished with three base hit knocks in the win. Paskell hit a line drive to left field, almost recreating his home run ball from Saturday vs. Gilmour, as he would drive in Adams on the RBI triple, which made the score 6-1 Cats. Paskell would come home on a passed ball extending the Wildcat lead to 7-1 heading into the fifth.

Luke Roggenburk took over on the hill in relief and continues to have masterful outings from the pen. Roggenburk would go three complete innings, allowing just two hits and striking out five Avon batters.

Saint Ignatius put three more runs on the board through the fifth and sixth inning to put the final nails in a 10-1 win over the Avon Eagles. Nard would get the final three outs in the seventh inning. The last out of the ball game saw senior captain John Panstares become superman in the alley and make a ridiculous diving catch in right field to end the game.

The Wildcats continue their home stand with a match-up against the Mayfield Wildcats at Brookside Reservation. The SIBN will have live coverage with the first pitch at 5 p.m. from the Metroparks. The Cats are now 8-4 on the season and on a five-game winning streak.