Berea, Ohio - Matt Geraci, Matt Ferritto and Jack Eyink turned in gutsy performances on the mound, Luke Cooper came up with a huge momentum-swinging diving catch in left field and the Wildcats produced some timely hitting in winning what Coach Ganor describes as the first of the two toughest victories in any season.
Unless Mother Nature has other plans, Coach Ganor's 'Cats will look to improve to 2-0 when they host the Bears from North Royalton today (Thursday) at Baldwin Wallace University's baseball-rich Fisher Field. Saint Ignatius junior right-hander Andrew Mulhern, a young man with a talented arm, is scheduled to take the mound at 5 PM for what would be his first Varsity start.
THE FIRST ONE AND THE LAST ONE
"I say it every year and it might sound like a broken record, but there are guys here today who are hearing it for the first time and it's very true," said Coach Ganor, who has reminded his players before and after every opening day that the two toughest victories for them to attain in a season are the first one and the last one.
That theory has held true in Coach Ganor's outstanding career as Saint Ignatius' Head Varsity Baseball Coach.
Coach Ganor entered Wenesday's opener with a career record of 284-99. Named the Wildcats' Head Coach in 2005, Brad has guided his Wildcats to six Division I state final four appearances, including a Saint Ignatius baseball best three consecutive trips to state in 2007, '08 and '09. Coach Ganor's 2008 and 2013 'Cats were state runners-up.
Determined to not waste the opportunity to get that coveted first victory on opening day, the 2018 Baseball Cats rallied from an early 1-0 deficit against a Mayfield ball club that was coming off Monday's impressive triumph over the Mentor Cardinals.
Mayfield, also nicknamed the Wildcats, scored the game's first run in the top of the third inning.
After Saint Ignatius' gifted junior third baseman and Nebraska recruit Michael Holdsworth snared a line drive that had base hit written all over it, Mayfield's senior second baseman and leadoff hitter Bryant Caporale drew a one-out walk and advanced to second base on a pitch in the dirt.
Saint Ignatius' starting pitcher, junior right-hander Matt Geraci, recorded a strikeout that was followed by another base on balls. Both Geraci and Mayfield's senior southpaw Mark Manfredi had to solve a strike zone that was a little tricky at times.
Mayfield took its 1-0 lead off an unearned run and could have done further damage if it wasn't for a diving catch in left field by Saint Ignatius' versatile junior Luke Cooper that ended the top of the third inning with Mayfield runners on first and second.
After Geraci started the top of the fourth with a strikeout, his pitch count was at a point where most veteran coaches would consider a change. Especially on a cold, gray and damp opening day.
Coach Ganor did just that and called on junior right-hander Matt Ferritto with one out and the bases empty in the top of the fourth. Geraci's day included 63 pitches, one hit, five strikeouts and four walks.
Ferritto recorded the final two outs in the top of the fourth on a popup that Saint Ignatius' veteran catcher and senior co-Captain Drew Asadorian took out of the air off a running catch in front of the Mayfield dugout and a strikeout.
Saint Ignatius, with its faithful lending their support from the stands behind home plate, got its offense in gear in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Senior right fielder/pitcher Jack Eyink and senior first baseman/co-Captain Tommy Grosel, a four-year member of Coach Ganor's Varsity program, started what turned out to be a four-run bottom of the fourth with back-to-back base hits.
Eyink and Grosel moved up on a wild pitch and Jack scored the tying run on a pitch in the dirt.
With one out, Cooper drew a walk and promptly stole second base. With runners on second and third, senior center fielder/backup catcher Evan Henry delivered the go-ahead run on a sharply hit ground ball.
Junior second baseman and leadoff hitter A.J. Gaich, who plays with style, savvy, endless hustle and a true respect for the game, extended Saint Ignatius' lead to 3-1 on an RBI single. A.J then stole second, advanced to third off an exceptional read and came home on an authoritative RBI single to center field off the bat of oh so promising sophomore shortstop Michael McNamara.
"I thought there was a pivotal moment in the game when after we scored those four runs and were up, 4-1, Mayfield had a runner on third and Matt Ferritto got out of it (the top of the fifth) with a strikeout," said Coach Ganor, who picked up his 285th career victory on Wednesday. "That was so important in terms of the momentum. If they (Mayfield) get a run there, then they have hope. That was a back breaker."
Ferritto, the winning pitcher, worked 2 1/3 innings. He threw 50 pitches, yielded a run and had four strikeouts.
Saint Ignatius, which will be competing in the prestigious Southeastern Baseball Classic in Hartsville, South Carolina next week, extended its lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the fifth off a single by senior designated hitter JJ Conway, who was pinch ran for by junior Flynn Lenehan, a fielder's choice, an error and a passed ball.
Mayfield would make it a 5-2 game in the top of the sixth, but senior Matt Hunt put an end to that mini rally by coming out of Coach Ganor's bullpen and coaxing a pop out off one pitch.
Jack Eyink pitched a strong top of the seventh that saw Jack throw almost nothing but unhittable strikes off 14 pitches.
"I thought Matt Geraci, in his first start of the year and being on a pitch count, did a real good job by not giving up that big inning," Coach Ganor said. "I am very pleased with the way we swung the bats today, especially with the first-game jitters and the cold weather."
FROM TOMMY GROSEL: "I liked how in the beginning the timely hits weren't there," said Tommy, who had two of Saint Ignatius' seven hits and also drew a walk in four at-bats. "But we didn't try to change what we were doing. We started to work with what their pitcher was throwing and in the end we had that big inning with timely hits."
Tommy said he was also impressed with the work turned in by Saint Ignatius' young pitchers.
"They had the ability to compose themselves and get out of trouble," said the big-game tested veteran, who was part of two state final four teams as a freshman and a sophomore.
A TIP OF THE CORNER'S CAP GOES OUT TO 2018 BASEBALL TEAM MANAGERS, SENIOR SEAMUS HOUGH AND JUNIOR DOMINIC CASERIO.
This old-timer has had the privilege of working alongside some outstanding Team Managers at Saint Ignatius and yes, there is only one Kyle Kostura (Class of 2015). That said, I was very, very impressed with the work ethic, professionalism, hospitable manner and baseball knowledge exuded by Seamus Hough and Dominic Caserio while covering the Baseball Cats' season opener on Wednesday evening.
The next time I see Kyle I will tell him his old job is in very good hands.
On a side note, Dominic Caserio shared with this veteran reporter that he is a first cousin to Nick Caserio, the Director of Player Personnel for the New England Patriots and a former football standout at University School and John Carroll University. Nick was born in Lyndhurst.
With Easter Break on hand and if Mother Nature cooperates, we hope to see some strong Student Body support at Baldwin Wallace today (Thursday) for the Varsity Baseball Cats versus North Royalton at 5 PM. However, if the weather throws another wicked curve, let me wish now a Happy and Blessed Easter to all of the great Student Athletes and Coaches that I have the privilege to be associated with at Saint Ignatius.