From the campus of Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio - Saint Ignatius, sending 12 batters to the plate, jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
The Cats would score two more runs in the bottom of the second inning and they crossed the plate seven more times in the bottom of the fourth.
An official line score read 17-14-0 for Saint Ignatius and 0-1-2 for Garfield Heights. The game was called after the top of the fifth inning because of the OHSAA's 10-run deficit rule.
Among the Wildcats' 14 hits were Varsity firsts by standout junior pitcher/pinch hitter Matt Geraci and oh so promising sophomore Luke Lashutka.
In was an evening of many productive bats, including 3 RBI games from senior center fielder Evan Henry and gifted sophomore shortstop Michael McNamara.
McNamara, big-hearted junior Flynn Lenehan and the man for wherever he is needed, senior Mark Bobinski, each turned in 2-for-2 efforts at the plate, with Lenehan and Bobinski also delivering RBIs.
In moving to a 10-0 lead in the second inning, Saint Ignatius treated its faithful to a one-out double to deep left field by versatile junior Austin Jones and run-scoring hits via the bats of senior outfielder Jordan Asimes and Bobinski.
As has been the case all season, the Wildcats' defense was solid again, especially in the second inning when dynamic junior second baseman AJ Gaich made a diving one-handed and over-the-shoulder catch in right-center field. AJ also created major problems for Garfield Heights with his bat and base-stealing skills.
Another Fisher Field Web Gem saw McNamara charge a sharp grounder, field it barehanded and fire a seed to first base for the final out in the top of the second inning.
Wildcats senior co-Captain Tommy Grosel worked three perfect innings in improving to 5-0 on the season. Tommy threw 29 pitches and struck out four.
Junior Sean Wracher pitched a 1-2-3 top of the fourth inning for Saint Ignatius and senior Matt Hunt took the mound in the top of the fifth and preserved the shutout in authoritative fashion.
Saint Ignatius, the No. 1 seed at the Division I Strongsville District, improved to 14-7 and advanced to Monday's OHSAA District Semifinal versus the 4th-seeded North Royalton Bears at Strongsville High School. Monday's first pitch is slated for 2 PM.
North Royalton advanced to face the Baseball Cats by defeating 5th seeded Berea-Midpark, 8-3, in Tuesday evening's Sectional Final at the home of the Bears.
The other half of Monday's District Semifinals at Strongsville will match the second-seeded Brecksville-Broadview Heights Bees against the third-seeded Strongsville Mustangs at 5 PM. Monday's winners will play for a District Championship on Tuesday at 5 PM on the Strongsville diamond.
Brecksville-Broadview Heights defeated 10th seeded Parma, 6-0, in Tuesday evening's Sectional Final on the Bees' diamond and Strongsville, the defending District Champion, advanced by eliminating sixth-seeded Normandy, 5-1, in Tuesday's Sectional Final at the home of the Mustangs.
Although we will be previewing the Strongsville District in Sunday's weekly Diamond Dust, there is definitely some recent District history between Saint Ignatius and North Royalton, as there is with Strongsville and the Wildcats.
In 2014, en route to their first State Final Four appearance in baseball, the North Royalton Bears defeated Saint Ignatius, 5-2, in the District Championship Game at Strongsville. The very next season, the Wildcats, on their way to a State Semifinal appearance, edged North Royalton, 3-2, in eight innings in what was a District Semifinal at Strongsville.
The Mustangs of Strongsville snapped Saint Ignatius' eight-game winning streak in last year's District Championship Game on the Mustangs' home field and Strongsville went on to finish as the Division I State Runner-Up to Massillon Jackson.
NOTE: Coach Brad Ganor's Wildcats have their plate full in preparing for Monday's District Semifinal, starting with Wednesday's 5 PM regular-season matchup with the Willoughby South Rebels on Fisher Field. The Rebels are ranked third at the Euclid District behind Mayfield (seeded 1) and Mentor.
After a day off on Thursday, the 'Cats travel to Classic Park on Friday, the home of the Lake County Captains, for a 5 PM first pitch versus tradition-rich Canton Central Catholic (see this week's Diamond Dust preview).
On Saturday at high noon it will be the annual Seniors Day recognition, as the Baseball Cats take on the Knights from Archbishop Hoban. Following the Varsity Game, Saint Ignatius' outstanding Junior Varsity Team will face the Knights' Jayvees.
From Coach Ganor on the first of what he and his Wildcats are describing as seven steps to a State Championship: "Took care of business and now on to the next game. It's seven games to try to win the whole thing and you can't win the seventh game if you don't win the first and you can't win the seventh game if you don't win the second game. So we'll get ready for the next one (versus North Royalton).
"It's fun to give guys opportunities to do things and today we got some playing time for guys. It was a good day all around."
And a good day and evening for the reporter who is privileged to cover and report on the Baseball Cats. We'll see you at Fisher Field tomorrow (Wednesday).