Smolen and Adler, promoted from the junior varsity, provide five strong innings and the Wildcats send 13 batters to the plate in the take-charge top of the second.

Saint Ignatius (22-6) extended its winning streak to eight games and will enter Thursday's OHSAA Division I District Semifinal against Midpark having won 17 of its past 18 games. The first pitch from Thursday's Strongsville High School District will be 4:30 and seniors John Fanta and Greg Ziton will bring you the game live over the SIBN, as John and Greg are in the home stretch of their outstanding broadcasting careers at Saint Ignatius.

*Here is the full story on Tuesday's regular-season finale at Brunswick.

Medina County - When this corner told Saint Ignatius head baseball coach Brad Ganor how impressive it was to see the Wildcats send two junior varsity call-up sophomores to the mound against the state's 12th-ranked Division I team on Tuesday evening, Coach Ganor never blinked while responding.

"Two Saint Ignatius sophomores," Coach Ganor said, referring to left-handers Dylan Smolen and Brendan Adler. "I don't consider them the same as every other high school sophomore."

Smolen, who started and went three shutout innings, and Adler, who threw a gutsy fourth and fifth innings, had some varsity debut jitters. However, they gave on-lookers the appearance they were right at home on the mound at Brunswick High School.

Of course, there is nothing like an early 9-0 lead to ease the butterflies.

Smolen, who picked up the victory, yielded three hits, struck out two, walked five and totaled 58 pitches, 31 of which were strikes. Adler's two innings read two hits, one run, two walks and 23 strikes in 38 pitches.

Senior right-hander Matt Lynch threw a scoreless sixth and senior right-hander and captain Kyle Pluta worked the seventh.

Saint Ignatius, ranked 17th in the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association's fifth and final Division I poll for 2013, took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. After Smolen pitched out of a two-out, bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the first, the Wildcats pretty much silenced the Blue Devils' Senior Day crowd for the rest of the game by scoring eight runs in the top of the second.

A leadoff walk to senior center fielder and captain Conor Hennessey, a stolen base by Hennessey and a one-rout RBI double the opposite way to deep left field by senior captain and second baseman Dan Rowbottom accounted for the 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Hennessey now has 26 stolen bases on the season and is just one short of tying Saint Ignatius' all-time single-season mark set by University of Notre Dame standout Frank DeSico '09.

Thirteen Wildcats dug in the batter's box in the decisive second, as Coach Ganor's team loaded the bases on an infield hit by senior third baseman Cole Nieto, catcher's interference and a hit batsman. Sophomore catcher Alex Panstares dew a walk for the 'Cats' second run of the game, junior first baseman Joe Khoury laid down a perfect squeeze bunt that made it 3-0 and after an RBI single by Hennessey and bases-loaded walks to junior second baseman Quillen Austria and Rowbottom, gifted junior left fielder Nick Fabian went the opposite way for an RBI single to right field.

The eighth run of the second inning and the 9-0 lead came courtesy of a fielder's choice and a throwing error.

Saint Ignatius' 10th and final run was produced in the top of the sixth on a one-out single by Austria, a two-base throwing error and a sacrifice fly to deep center field by Fabian.

"Winning a game like that can only build the confidence, it can't hurt the confidence," Coach Ganor said. "I'm proud of them and I'm happy that we started the week in the right direction. Our focus is on Thursday, that's all that matters. If we don't win Thursday, we're collecting the uniforms on Friday.

"They're ready," Coach Ganor continued. "You can just tell they're ready by the way they carry themselves in practice. They're ready for the next challenge."

A TOUCH OF CLASS, LOVE AND REMEMBERANCE: Led by Ohio State recruit Kyle Michalik, Coach Todd Winston's Brunswick Blue Devils will take a 19-9 record into Thursday's Division I district semifinal match up with the Twinsburg Tigers in The Ball Park at Hudson. And in their hearts will be their great friend, senior Cora Flemming, who recently lost a battle to bone cancer. The Blue Devils have the name Flemming printed across the back of their jerseys.

All of the best to one of the state's best on Thursday in Hudson.