It is not being condescending or patronizing to say that Saint Ignatius has nothing to hang its head about after being defeated by nationally ranked Walsh Jesuit for the second time in five days.
Unlike last week when the Wildcats, by their own admission, played tight and uncertain in a run-rule loss to the Warriors in Bohlken Park, they took their cuts at Walsh Jesuit on Monday evening and just didn't have enough of a complete game to garner a season-series split with state's No. 1 ranked Division II team.
The Warriors, who just might be the strongest and deepest team Ohio has to offer, in any division, rode Ryan Berry's authoritative bat and some strong work out of their bullpen by Zach O'Driscoll to a 12-4 victory over Saint Ignatius.
Ranked among the top five teams in most of the national polls, Walsh Jesuit improved to 20-0. The Wildcats, who were ranked fourth in this week's Division I state poll, stand 18-4 heading into Tuesday's matchup with Benedictine at Case Western Reserve University.
“If you avoid the six spot, who knows,” said Saint Ignatius head coach Brad Ganor, referring to the Warriors' telling six-run bottom of the third. “You play a lot differently when it's a one- or two-run game than you do if it's a six- or seven-run game.
“I think offensively we swung the bats very well against a very good pitcher, one of the better kids in the area.”
Walsh Jesuit's 6-foot-3 senior right-hander Greg Greve worked 4 1/3 innings in improving to 5-0. He was responsible for all four of the Wildcats' runs, but got the cushion he needed early on.
Berry, who accounted for three of the Warriors' first five runs in last week's game against the 'Cats, laced a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the first and the senior first baseman belted a 1-0 pitch over the left-field fence for a grand slam in highlighting the six-run third
Saint Ignatius got on the board when senior third baseman Mike Burke led off the fourth by belting an 0-2 pitch over the fence in center field for his fourth home run of the season.
Walsh Jesuit pushed its lead to 9-1 on a two-out, two-run bases-loaded single by freshman catcher Cassidy Brown in the bottom of the fourth.
The Wildcats, who are seeded No.1 for next week's Division I Lakewood sectional/district, refused to go quietly.
Senior center fielder Kory Gillissie fueled a three-run top of the fifth by sending Mr. Rawlings soaring over the fence in right-center field. Junior first baseman Mike Horejsei drew a walk with one out, advanced to second base on a wild pitch and came home on an RBI double to left-center field by Burke, his team-leading 26th run batted in.
After a single by 'Cats' senior shortstop Dave Gallagher, the Warriors turned to their deep and talented bullpen and brought in O'Driscoll, a 6-2 senior right-hander.
Saint Ignatius would cut the deficit to 9-4 off a fielder's choice, but O'Driscoll retired the next batter on a 5-3 ground out. He struck out the side in the top of the sixth and had two more Ks in the seventh.
“For Jack, it was a tough outing for him,” said Coach Ganor of 6-5 senior right-hander Jack McLinden, who lost for the first time in six starts this spring. “But like I told him when I went out there to take him out of the game (with two outs in the bottom of the third), he's going to have a lot of big innings before this season is over. So we just have to put it behind us and move forward. And a senior and a four-year member of the varsity should be able to do that pretty easily.”