The Polar Bears erase a 3-0 deficit by scoring six times in the bottom of the first and they settle the issue with a five-run fifth in a game that was called after five because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Saint Ignatius' junior varsity bounces back from Monday's loss at Massillon Jackson by run-ruling St. Edward, 12-2, on Tuesday.
Jackson also defeats the Wildcats' freshmen,10-8, on Tuesday for a rare sweep of Saint Ignatius' three baseball programs.
*Here is the varsity game story from Massillon Jackson.
By Eddie Dwyer, Copyright April 2013
Stark County – In advancing to the Division I regional semifinals last season, Saint Ignatius’ varsity baseball program faced some extremely talented teams.
However, Wildcats head coach Brad Ganor stood firm last spring when he said the best team his program faced in 2012 was, without question, Massillon Jackson. The Polar Bears defeated the ‘Cats in last year’s
season opener at Jackson.
Early Tuesday night, Coach Ganor stood on the Polar Bears’ field again and reiterated the same sentiments he expressed nearly a year ago.
“We knew coming in that they were going to be very good, despite their record,” said Coach Ganor. “He (Polar Bears head coach Bill Gamble) does a great job of getting them ready.”
To say Jackson was both good and ready to face the Wildcats on Tuesday would be a major understatement.
The Polar Bears, whose deceiving record now stands at 2-3, answered Saint Ignatius’ fast start with an even faster start of their own and went on to run-rule the ‘Cats, 15-5. The game was called after five innings because of the state’s 10-run mercy rule.
Saint Ignatius (3-4), which was coming off a successful weekend that saw it win three out of four games, appeared to carry that momentum into the top of the first inning on Tuesday.
Senior shortstop Tyler Finkler got the Wildcats’ offense started with a one-out double off the fence in right-center field. With two outs, Finkler stole third, junior left fielder Nick Fabian drew a walk and junior right fielder and Miami of Ohio recruit Nick Longo drove a two-run double to the gap in right center. Senior designated hitter Kevin Hagen followed with an RBI single to right and Saint Ignatius took a 3-0 lead into
the bottom of the first.
As quickly as Mr. Momentum took the field with the Wildcats for the bottom of the first, Jackson turned him around and sent him to the home dugout.
The Polar Bears, who authoritatively answered just about every move Saint Ignatius made, scored six times in the bottom of the first and batted around in the process.
Junior outfielder Tim Turner led off for Jackson and promptly lined a double to the gap in left center, advanced to third on a pitch in the dirt and scored on a do-or-die slow roller to the shortstop.
With one out, senior first baseman Andrew Stalnaker, a .342 hitter in 2012, lined a single to right field and senior infielder Nate Ballinger followed with sacrifice fly to left center that made it a 3-2 game. Stalnaker moved to second on another pitch in the dirt and Jackson loaded the bases on a single to left by junior shortstop Kyle Mottice and a hit batsman.
The hit parade continued as junior third baseman Jake Sima laced a two-run single to left and the runners moved up on the throw to the plate. A passed ball resulted in the Polar Bears’ fifth run and an RBI single up the middle by senior outfielder Ian O’Neill completed the six-run barrage.
“It’s tough, we’ve been in this situation now three times in the last week (jumping out early and giving it right back),” said Coach Ganor. “Our offense can’t do it all. I’ve told them (the Wildcats’ pitchers) in our team meeting that they have great stuff. They’re just not trusting it. And until they trust it, we’re going to continue to be in situations like this.”
After Stalnaker pushed his team’s lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the second on a one-out single up the middle with the infield drawn in, Saint Ignatius got back in the game with single runs in the third and fourth
innings.
Senior catcher Jagger Bruck delivered a two-out RBI single in the third and a four-pitch walk to senior second baseman and Illinois recruit Dan Rowbottom, another double by Finkler and a one-out walk to Fabian loaded the bases in the fourth. The Wildcats’ fifth and final run came home when Longo was hit by a pitch.
Leading, 7-5, Jackson again grabbed the momentum back courtesy of a two-run double by Stalnaker
off the fence in right center and an RBI single by Ballinger.
The Polar Bears then rode their three-run fourth to the decisive five-run fifth, an inning that started with a screaming double off the third baseman’s glove by O’Neill. Providing the telling blows were Ballinger with another run-scoring single and junior catcher Seth Vellucci and Sima, who produced the 14th and 15th runs on two-out RBI singles.
“They’re kids and when you suck the life out of them like that in the first inning, they’re kids and it’s tough to respond,” said Coach Ganor, who will lead his Wildcats against Nordonia in Wednesday’s 4:30 home opener
at Classic Park in Eastlake.
“Everyone expects Saint Ignatius to almost be robotic, like we’re machines or something," Coach Ganor continued. "They have homework to deal with, teachers to deal with, girlfriends to deal with, classes and all of that stuff. We have to stick together and the coaching staff needs to make sure that we’re staying positive. I still believe that this is a fantastic team.”