When Mentor was run-ruled by Saint Ignatius in last season's Strongsville Dugout Club Tournament, the Cardinals, by their own admission, were a team in transition that was learning on the job.
A year later and Mentor's players learned that when it comes to Saint Ignatius' offensive capabilities, some things never change.
The Wildcats, ringing the aluminum loud and clear, jumped on Cardinals pitching in the top of the first inning and rode strong third and fourth innings to a 13-3 victory in Sunday's final round of the Dugout Club Tournament at Strongsville High School. The game was called after six innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
In completing a 5-0 week that saw them total 57 runs, the 'Cats improved to 11-1.
With junior right fielder Neal Jacobs having a day he won't soon forget, if ever, Saint Ignatius outhit the Cardinals, 17-5.
Jacobs, a humble and good-natured young man, drove in seven runs with a sacrifice fly, a two-run double and two impressive two-run home runs.
Senior left fielder and tri-captain Kevin Hopkins had himself a sweet Sunday by going 3-for-4 with two doubles and senior infielder Kairee Tekra, senior infielder Zach Seybert and senior pitcher/infielder Dave Gallagher also had multi-hit games.
Gallagher (2-0) gave head coach Brad Ganor five strong innings by scattering four hits and striking out four. Six-foot-7 junior right-hander Mason Halter, known as “Big Country” to his teammates, yielded a base hit in the bottom of the sixth and then set down the next three batters, the second one courtesy of a big-time running one-handed catch in deep center field by senior Kory Gillissie.
Saint Ignatius, which was riding the emotion of Saturday's 8-6 second-round victory over defending Division II state champion Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, an effort that snapped the Lions' 14-game winning streak, led, 3-0, after the top of the first. Hopkins' leadoff double to right field, a single by junior first baseman Mike Horejsei, two wild pitches, a walk and a stolen base by senior designated hitter Mike Burke and a sacrifice fly by Jacobs did the early damage.
Mentor would answer in the bottom of the first.
Cardinals junior shortstop Joe Kasper, who made a highlight-reel 6-3 defensive play in the top of the first, led off with an infield hit, stole second base and advanced to third on a fielder's choice. He came home on a base hit by sophomore first baseman Justin Fritts. Mentor then cut the deficit to 3-2 entering the second inning on a two-out error by the Wildcats.
Saint Ignatius pushed its lead to 4-2 in the top of the second on a two-out -and-nobody-on single by Tekra and an RBI double by Hopkins. After Gallagher struck out two in blanking the Cardinals in the bottom of the second, things began to look all too familiar for the Mentor players and their coaching staff.
The Wildcats, who are seeking their fourth consecutive appearance in the Division I state final four and their 11th overall, combined base hits by Burke nd Gallagher, a double steal, a two-run double by Jacobs to the gap in right-center field, a bunt for a base hit by Seybert, a wild pitch, a walk to Gillissie and two more wild pitches into an 8-2 lead in the top of the third.
The Cardinals scored their final run on an RBI double by sophomore relief pitcher Anthony Gallo in the bottom of the third, but the Wildcats came right back with three runs in the top of the fourth, an output that featured a single and a stolen base by Hopkins, a walk to Burke, another double steal, an RBI single by Gallagher and a majestic two-out, two-run home run by Jacobs that soared over the fence in left field.
Jacobs, who now has four home runs on the season, completed his seven-RBI day by saying goodbye to Mr. Rawlings again with a two-run rope that jetted over the fence in right-center in the top of the sixth. It was preceded by a double by Gallagher.
Coach Ganor revealed that if he wasn't giving instructions to his base runner at the time, he probably would have given Jacobs the take sign on his first home run, which came off a 3-0 pitch.
“An inside fastball,” said the right-handed hitting Jacobs of the pitch he abused for his first home run. “Coach (Matt) Blazer (Class of '94) told me the at bat before that this was my pitcher, that he was going to throw me an inside fastball. He said just keep your weight back and drive through the ball. I've been trying to keep my weight back (on the ball), that's a problem I've been having.
“I'm finally starting to work through the kinks.”
Although Coach Ganor is extremely pleased with the way his team has been swinging the bats, he did point out some of the missed signs and defensive plays that were not executed over the weekend, things that have to be ironed out as Saint Ignatius heads into another demanding week.
“We have to build on every single game, and this was a game to build on,” said Hopkins, the team's consummate table setter. “You want to take advantage of the opportunities in everything you do, whether it be fielding, hitting or getting the signs down. Once we play a complete game like that, everyone is going to know how it feels.”
The Wildcats will need their A game, both physically and mentally, as they embark on a week that includes a game at Padua on Tuesday (4:30 p.m.), a matchup with always strong Twinsburg on Thursday at Talty Field in the Brookside Reservation (4:30 p.m.), a trip to Progressive Field on Friday to play postseason-rich Avon Lake (5:30 p.m.) and weekend games against Walsh Jesuit, Cincinnati St. Xavier and Toledo St. John's Jesuit in the annual Jesuit Tournament in Toledo.
Saint Ignatius will play Walsh Jesuit and St. Xavier on Saturday at noon and 3 p.m., respectively, in Ned Skeldon Stadium and will take on the Titans of St. John's at St. John's on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Padua, under the direction of former St. Peter Chanel All-Ohio shortstop Izzy Santiago, just might be the most-improved team in Northeast Ohio and Coach Chris Kaczmar's tradition-rich Walsh Jesuit Warriors are again ranked among the top five teams in the nation.