HARTSVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA – Saint Ignatius' Brad Ganor was an endless competitor as a player at St. Edward High School and Cleveland State University, and he remains that way as a coach.
Although Coach Ganor wasn't pleased with Saturday night's 8-4 loss to T.L. Hanna in the championship game of the 14th annual Southeastern Baseball Classic, he wasn't going to ignore the successful week his Wildcats put together in atmosphere-rich Jimmy White Park.
“That's the whole reason we came down here, to play a team like that, to play all of the teams we did,” Ganor said, after Saint Ignatius lost for the first time in seven games this spring. “Sure, we're disappointed in not coming away with the championship. But going home 3-1 against the competition we faced, I'm pretty happy with that.”
The Wildcats gave their coaches and fans plenty to smile about all week and, for that matter, through the first four innings on Saturday night.
Behind the gritty pitching of senior right-hander David Deliz, some sound defense and clutch hitting, Saint Ignatius took a 2-0 lead into the top of the fifth inning.
The 'Cats combined a double by junior designated hitter Tyler Kette and a base hit by junior right fielder Neal Jacobs with a throwing error and led, 1-0, in the bottom of the second. A lead-off double by senior infielder Dave Gallagher, a wild pitch and a passed ball on a swinging third strike made the score 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Jacobs also threw out a runner at home in the top of the sixth, a one-hopper that junior catcher Cory Finkler grabbed and held on to despite a collision at the plate.
Deliz (2-1), who is off to an impressive start this season, was crafty and dominant through four innings.
After Hanna's Garrett Boulware, the MVP of the tournament, hit the first pitch of the game for a triple, Deliz struck out the next batter. He then bounced off the mound to make a smooth pick up of a ground ball and alertly fired to third base to get Boulware, who was coming down the line. The 1-5 play included a nice tag by junior third baseman Colin Gallagher.
The 6-foot-3 Deliz ended the top half of the first inning by enticing a pop up that was snagged by Finkler.
In retiring the Yellow Jackets in order in the top of the second, Deliz recorded two of his seven strikeouts. He pitched out of a bases-loaded situation in the third inning and was in command in the top of the fourth.
“He was cruising,” said Coach Ganor of Deliz. “But when you're facing a good team, fall behind and then make a mistake, that's what happens. They make you pay.”
The game took a major turn in the top of the fifth, as Mr. Momentum started to make himself comfortable in the Hanna dugout.
After the Yellow Jackets loaded the bases with no outs, Deliz struck out the next two batters and appeared to be on his way to getting out of trouble again. But after a two-out walk cut Hanna's deficit to 2-1, the game turned on one mighty swing – a grand-slam home run by Causey Stanland that soared over the fence in left-center field.
The Wildcats, taking advantage of a one-out single by senior center fielder Kory Gillissie, two-out walks to junior first baseman Mike Horejsei and senior infielder Mike Burke, a wild pitch and a mental error by the Yellow Jackets' third baseman, closed to 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth. With runners on second and third, Hanna's third baseman fielded a ground ball and ran over to step on third base, obviously thinking the bases were still loaded and that he had a force play at third.
The night belonged to the alma mater of baseball Hall of Fame inductee Jim Rice, however, as the Yellow Jackets got to the 'Cats' bullpen with three runs in the top of the sixth. Jake Long's two-run double helped provide the four-run cushion.
Saint Ignatius will play its first “home game” of the season on Tuesday, when its faces St. Vincent-St. Mary in Fairview Park's Bohlken Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
IN CLOSING: The corner tips its many caps to Mike Watts '11 and Jacob Corrigan '10 of the Wildcats' Broadcasting Network and Student Sports Information Department for the great job they did in transmitting the material from Hartsville to the Saint Ignatius athletic website page, to former Major League Baseball standout southpaw Tommy John (288 career victories) for the humerous and inspiring talk he gave to the teams during the opening ceremonies, and to the city of Hartsville for putting on a tremendous tournament. The land of the Red Foxes can take a well-deserved bow.
****SOME DANDY DIAMOND DUST (4/10/10, 11:07 A.M.): Congratulations go out to Mike Burke (senior infielder/pitcher), Jack McLinden (senior right-handed pitcher), Tyler Kette (junior designated hitter/infielder) and Dave Gallagher (senior infielder/pitcher) for being named to the Southeastern Baseball Classic All-Tournament Team. The four Wildcats each received an engraved gold medal.