Senior infielder Jordan Bufford provides a clutch RBI insurance hit in the seventh inning, senior shortstop Tyler Finkler turns in another outstanding all-around performance and sophomore right-hander MJ Nara shuts the door with a runner on second base and the potential tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
With Nick Longo, Tyler Finkler, Conor Hennessey and Dan Rowbottom accounting for nine of the Wildcats' 13 hits, Saint Ignatius improves to 17-6 heading into Friday night's traditional doubleheader with the Lakewood Rangers in legendary Lakewood Stadium. The junior varsity match up is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., with the varsity game slated to follow at 7. The Saint Ignatius Student Broadcasting Network will bring you the varsity game live from Bunts and Madison.
****The corner sends out its congratulations to Wildcats senior basketball standouts Francisco Santiago and Derek Sloan, who were honored today as members of The Plain Dealer's 2012-13 seven-county All-Star Team. Francisco was named to the elite team and Derek was the recipient of Special Mention. Congratulations to "Cisco," Derek, their families, Coach Sean O'Toole '87 and the entire Saint Ignatius basketball program.
HERE IS THE FULL STORY ON THE SLUGFEST IN STOW.
SUMMIT COUNTY - Senior infielder Jordan Bufford is truly a sound example of Saint Ignatius' motto - "Men For Others."
Simply put, Jordan is there when you need him.
Bufford, one of the key parts in Coach Brad Ganor's deep, talented and flexible rotation, delivered a big insurance run with a two-out single off a high fastball in the top of the seventh inning on Thursday evening and the Wildcats went on to hold off the more-than-capable Stow Bulldogs, 11-9.
"That at-bat was just staying ready," said Bufford, moments after he helped Saint Ignatius to its 17th victory in 23 games and its 12 triumph in its past 13 outings. "I know my role on this team is to come off the bench and provide when needed. So it was all about staying ready and coming through.
"I relish it," Bufford continued while discussing his role for Coach Ganor. "I just want to produce when they ask me to. When I get into the game, I am always ready."
After two scoreless innings, the Wildcats, the second seed for this month's OHSAA Division I Strongsville sectional/district, appeared more than ready.
Making the most of two hits, two walks, a hit batsman and two Stow errors, Saint Ignatius took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning and stretched it to 7-0 with three runs in the top of the fourth.
Senior designated hitter/catcher Jagger Bruck, another player who answers the call when needed, lead off the third by drawing a walk and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore catcher Alex Panstares. Bruck then moved to third base on a ground out by junior first baseman Joe Khoury.
It was at that point the Wildcats caught a big break, as a swinging third strike by gifted senior second baseman and captain Dan Rowbottom bounced away from the catcher. Bruck came home with the first run of the game and Rowbottom was safe at first.
Rowbottom promptly stole second base and came around to score on the first of three hits by junior right fielder and Miami of Ohio recruit Nick Longo. Longo advanced to second on an errant relay throw, standout senior shortstop and captain Tyler Finkler drew a walk, multi-skilled junior left fielder Nick Fabian was hit by a pitch and gritty senior center fielder and captain Conor Hennessey laced a two-out, two-run single through the left side.
Senior third baseman Cole Nieto, who has been rock-solid for Coach Ganor, got the three-run fourth inning started with a double down the left-field line. Bruck laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Nieto to third and after the second out of the inning, Khoury produced an RBI single up the middle and stole second base. A line-drive RBI double the opposite way by the left-handed hitting Rowbottom and another run-scoring single by Longo made it a 7-0 game.
"Sometimes you have to win ugly," said Coach Ganor of what would take place over the next three and a half innings. "We were winning pretty and found a way to win ugly. But they're resilient, they've been resilient all season."
Saint Ignatius had to call on that resiliency more than once down the stretch as Stow (14-8) outscored the Wildcats, 9-4, from bottom of the fourth on.
The Bulldogs turned two walks, a wild pitch and a two-out RBI single by their impressive sophomore first baseman Parker Henderson into a run in the fourth. Henderson went 3-for-3 on the day with a sacrifice fly and three runs batted in.
Saint Ignatius responded with two runs in the top of the fifth.
Finkler led off the fifth with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and, in what was an impressive display of wheels, scored from second on a pitch in the dirt that bounced away from the catcher. Hennessey bunted for a base hit, stole second and third, and came home on a sacrifice fly to deep right center by Nieto. Wildcats' stats gurus Mac Robinson and Marco Valetta pointed out that Hennessey now has 22 stolen bases on the season, five shy of tying the all-time single-season record set by University of Notre Dame standout Frank DeSico '09.
Trailing, 9-1, the Bulldogs still had plenty of bark left, as the team from East Graham Road combined five hits and some heads-up base running into four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Henderson's second RBI single made it 9-5.
Once again, Saint Ignatius was able to respond as Rowbottom, an Illinois recruit, scorched a one-out single to left and moved to second on a nice read off a pitch in the dirt. A single to right by Longo put runners on first and third, and then Finkler, who did everything but drive the bus home, put down a text-book squeeze bunt that scored Rowbottom from third.
"I think it's just a matter of the whole team standing up and having real good energy the entire game," said Bufford of the 'Cats' ability to shake off Stow's final blows. "When we need to pull out a win, we do it. We've shown that the past few weeks."
The Bulldogs landed a few on the chin in the bottom of the sixth, scoring four more times en route to making it a one-run game. The key moments for the home team were a one-out, two-run single by senior right fielder Bryan Reginald and a bases-loaded, two-out run-scoring sacrifice fly to right field by Henderson.
With runners on first and third and two outs, Saint Ignatius' sophomore right-handed relief pitcher, MJ "Ice in his veins" Nara, ended the sixth by coaxing a pop out to Finkler.
Coach Ganor's team would then ride a two-out, pinch-hit single by senior Kevin Hagen, a stolen base by sophomore pinch runner Sam Fuller and Bufford's key hit to the final run of the game.
Nara, after getting two quick outs in the bottom of the seventh, yielded a single to junior shortstop Mike Urban. However, after Urban stole second base, Nara settled the issue with a strikeout off a 3-2 pitch.
"MJ did a nice job," said Coach Ganor. "We made a determination that he was going to win it or lose it. He was going to grow up today and pitch like a varsity player. And he certainly did that in the seventh. Tyler Finkler had one of the more impressive base running days since I've been at Saint Ignatius, and he's not the fastest guy that we've ever had. But certainly some of the best instincts. That second to home play, you don't see high school kids do that! And that is why the colleges like him."