Nick Margevicius displays a wicked curve ball en route to going the distance and improving his record to 8-0. Dan Rowbottom's opposite way RBI triple in the top of the fifth scores Joe Khoury, who had singled, and Tyler Finkler's smooth and savvy play with one out in the bottom of the seventh highlights a sound defensive performance by Saint Ignatius.

Coach Brad Ganor's Wildcats, winners of 10 consecutive games and 19 of their past 20, will take a record of 24-6 into Thursday's Division I Regional Semifinal at Case Western Reserve University. The 5 PM first pitch will match Saint Ignatius against the winner of tonight's Lorain District final between Avon Lake and Midview. We will let you know about the outcome of the Avon Lake-Midview game when it becomes available.

HERE IS THE STORY ON THE 'CATS' DRAMATIC VICTORY OVER A GAME NORMANDY TEAM AND ITS GRITTY PITCHER NICK MARANO. NOTES ON LACROSSE AND VOLLEYBALL FOLLOW THE BASEBALL STORY.

Strongsville, Ohio - When Saint Ignatius head baseball coach Brad Ganor was informed of the final numbers his gifted junior southpaw Nick Margevicius put together in Saturday's 2-1 district-final victory over Normandy, the veteran skipper smiled and said: "Well, that's why he is 8-0."

And that 8-0 record is a big reason why Coach Ganor's Wildcats now stand 24-6 and will take a 10-game winning streak into Thursday's Division I regional semifinal at Case Western Reserve University. The 'Cats' opponent for Thursday's 5 PM first pitch will be the winner of Saturday night's Lorain District final between Avon Lake and Midview.

As for Margevicius, his seven-inning complete game on a beautiful fall-like May afternoon at Strongsville High School showed him yielding five hits, a run and one walk. A bulldog on the mound who carries a wide smile off the diamond, Margevicius struck out seven and in the 97 pitches he threw, 68 of them were strikes.

"I knew yesterday when I was watching them against Brecksville that they were a good team that can compete," Margevicius said of Normandy's 2-0 district semifinal victory over top-seeded Brecksville-Broadview Heights. "And they showed that again today.

"The curveball was great," Margevicius continued, while discussing his out pitch on Saturday. "I was able to throw it for a strike and get them to swing through it. It made the fastball that much better. I had good control of the change-up too, but I didn't throw that as much."

In what was a classic pitchers' dual, Normandy senior Nick Marano, a young man who can throw a capable knuckle ball, shook off an early 1-0 deficit and kept his team in the game.

Second-seeded Saint Ignatius, which managed just three hits, two by talented junior first baseman Joe Khoury, took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning. Sophomore catcher Alex Panstares led off the third with a walk and Khoury followed with a line-drive single to right-center field. After senior second baseman and Illinois recruit Dan Rowbottom moved the runners over with a text-book sacrifice bunt, Marano came up with one of his seven strikeouts.

However, a two-out pitch that bounced in the dirt and away from the catcher accounted for the Wildcats' first run.

Along with the three-hitter, Marano's gutsy effort saw him yield four walks and fire 56 strikes while throwing 104 pitches.

Saint Ignatius' 1-0 lead was short-lived, as the fourth-seeded Invaders (16-13) knotted the score in the bottom of the third behind hits by the Raimondos - a one-out infield single by senior shortstop Greg Raimondo and a two-out RBI single up the middle by junior third baseman Anthony Raimondo.

It stayed a 1-1 game until the top of the fifth, when Khoury slapped a sharp single through the left side and came around to score what turned out to be the winning run off a towering opposite way triple to deep left field by Rowbottom.

"Marge (Margevicius) with the seven innings, that's huge, that's awesome," said Rowbottom, who is one of Coach Ganor's four captains. "He really controlled that game. Even when our offense isn't going, it's still really nice to have Marge on the mound.

"Coach Ganor put on the hit and run and usually you're supposed to pull the ball in that situation," Rowbottom continued in describing his decisive hit. "But the kid threw it outside and I like that outside pitch, I like to go for that gap. He threw it there and fortunately I got a good swing on it."

And that swing, another sound day defensively and the live left arm of Margevicius has the Wildcats moving on to their fifth regional appearance in what is Coach Ganor's ninth season directing the varsity program. Coach Ganor, a former football and baseball standout at St. Edward High School, has guided Saint Ignatius to a school-record three consecutive state final four appearances - 2007, '08 and '09.

After Margevicius threw a six-pitch sixth inning, his 1-2-3 seventh was highlighted by another highlight-reel play by senior shortstop and Ohio University recruit Tyler Finkler. Tyler made a smooth closing charge on a tough grounder over the mound and, in one leaning motion, fired to Khoury at first base for the second out of the inning.

"Nick did exactly what we hoped he could do, give us a chance to win a close game," said Coach Ganor. "Our defense today was some of the best defense I've seen at Saint Ignatius in a long time. Tyler's plays all day, Joe's picks over there at first and Alex (Panstares) behind the plate just doing a great job. Pitching and defense, that's what it comes down to. It always does.

"It's not to be taken for granted," Coach Ganor said of the Wildcats' current streaks (10 in a row and 19 victories in their last 20 games). "We have played a really tough schedule. These guys see the best of the best day in and day out. It's just a testament to their will power. I very proud of what they have accomplished and the fact that they are so resilient."

****NOTE: Congratulations go out to Coach Pat McManamon's varsity lacrosse team, as the Lax 'Cats dominated Brecksville-Broadview Heights, 20-1, in a first round OHSLA playoff game at Wasmer Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats (15-1), who have now won nine in a row, will host Massillon Jackson in second-round playoff action on Tuesday night.

NOTE 2: Although the Wildcats were defeated by Cincinnati Elder, 3 sets to 2, in Saturday's state quarterfinals at Walsh Jesuit High School, Coach Casey Marcelo's varsity volleyball team can look back on a tremendous elite eight season that concluded with a 15-5 record. Gentlemen, take a bow!