The Wildcats (21-6), winners of 16 of their past 17 games, turn back a gritty Berea team that played like anything but a club that has just four victories on the season. Dan Rowbottom, a three-year varsity mainstay and an Illinois recruit, breaks open a scoreless game with a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the fourth. It was the first hit on the day for the 'Cats as both teams finish with four hits.

Junior infielder Quillen Austria keys Saint Ignatius' three-run fifth with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt, two-out doubles by junior left fielder Nick Fabian and senior first baseman Kevin Hagen highlight a three-run sixth, and junior southpaw Nick Margevicius pitches six shutout innings.

Up next for the Wildcats is Tuesday's regular-season finale at Brunswick and Thursday's district semifinal versus Midpark at Strongsville High School. Both games are slated for 4:30 p.m. Midpark, which eliminated Saint Ignatius in the 2011 district finals, advanced by defeating Parma, 8-1, in Friday's sectionals.

Here is the story on Friday's triumph at Baldwin Wallace University.

Berea, Ohio - Welcome back Grandpa Geraci!

You could see the emotion in Dan Rowbottom's eyes as he stood in front of the third-base dugout in the atmosphere-rich baseball facility at Baldwin Wallace University early Friday evening.

And those special feelings weren't just because Rowbottom, one of Saint Ignatius' unquestioned leaders, delivered the big two-out hit in the bottom of the fourth inning that broke open a scoreless game and sent the Wildcats on their way to an 8-0 victory over Berea in a Division I sectional final.

The huge smile that was accompanied by a teary-eyed expression was for one of the special people in Dan's life - his grandfather Sam Geraci.

Mr. Geraci, who had been hospitalized, was on hand with his wife Theresa on Friday to watch their grandson's clutch moment.

"This was the first time this season that he was able to be at a game," said Rowbottom, the Wildcats' senior second baseman and captain. "Usually I have all four of my grandparents at everyone of my games. But he was ill the past couple of months and is finally back. It is so great to have him back."

And it's great for head Coach Brad Ganor and his staff to have players with the talent and class that Rowbottom combines so well.

Saint Ignatius (21-6), which has been on an impressive run since late April, was tested from the get-go in what was eventually their seventh consecutive victory and 16th triumph in 17 games.

Shutdown for three innings by Berea senior pitcher Alan Torres, the Wildcats kept it a scoreless game through 3 1/2 innings thanks to the work of their standout junior left-hander Nick Margevicius. Margevicius, in improving to 7-0 on the spring, blanked the Braves on four hits through six innings. He struck out five, walked one and had 54 strikes among the 81 pitches he threw. Sophomore right-hander MJ Nara ended the game by striking out the side in the seventh inning.

"In playoffs, anything can happen," said Rowbottom. "We see that every single year, a good team getting knocked out by a team that isn't as talented. We all knew we would get it going. It was just a matter of time."

That time came in the bottom of the fourth, when Rowbottom came up with Saint Ignatius' first hit off Torres, a sharp two-out, two-run single. Dan's momentum-changer scored sophomore pinch runner Sam Fuller and sophomore catcher Alex Panstares.

Fuller, who was pinch running for junior designated hitter Shane Skuhrovec, who was hit by a pitch with one out, stole second base and, in a great read off a pitch in the dirt, advanced to third. Panstares walked and stole second. After a strikeout, Rowbottom brought life to the 'Cats' dugout and eased the pins and needles that accompanied Saint Ignatius' faithful by authoritatively sending Mr. Rawlings through the right side of a sun-drenched diamond.

"It was an inside fastball," said Rowbottom. "I was able to get my hands through and get a good swing on it. I wasn't trying to do too much with it, I wanted to just put it on the ground. We had too many fly outs today."

The Wildcats, seeded second at the OHSAA Strongsville sectional/district, began to establish their superiority by scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth.

Standout senior shortstop Tyler Finkler, an Ohio University recruit, led off with a walk and stole second. Gifted five-tool junior left fielder Nick Fabian then laid down a bunt and beat the throw to first. After a wild pitch put runners on second and third, Berea got a 6-3 out off a drawn-in infield.

The hard-earned evening belonged to Saint Ignatius, however, as junior infielder Quillen Austria, a player who typifies the Wildcats' selfless, do-it-when-called-upon approach, put down a squeeze bunt that would make any manager on any level smile. And it came off a tough pitch to handle.

Austria not only brought home his team's third run, but, in their hurry to try to throw Austria out at first, the Braves air-mailed the throw in the direction of the parking lot. The fourth run came around to score, Austria advanced all the way to third and Skuhrovec, who re-entered the game, lifted a deep sacrifice fly to center field that pushed the lead to 5-0.

After Margevicius pitched out of a bases-loaded situation in the top of the sixth, the 'Cats left no doubt.

With two outs and the bases empty, Finkler was hit by a pitch, promptly stole second and scored on a double by Fabian off a nice piece of hitting. Fabian stole third, senior third baseman Cole Nieto drew a walk and, with the runners breaking on the pitch, senior first baseman Kevin Hagen lined a two-run double to left.

"Everyone expects us to win," said Coach Ganor. "We can't give a team hope, that's what it comes down to. They (the Braves) were feeling it and so were their fans. We were tight, but hopefully we got it out of our system and will come ready next week.

"In the end, it doesn't matter, because we won the game," Coach Ganor continued. "We won the sectionals, and now we move forward. If we won, 1-0, 10-0 or 20-0, it doesn't matter. You have to advance. Nick (Margevicius) did a great job. He got out of a jam there in the first (first and second, one out). If they score there, this game has a very different feeling."