From Baldwin Wallace University's Fisher Field in Berea, Ohio - Right-hander Matt Hunt goes the distance in dominating the Knights' offense on Saturday afternoon and leading the now 17-7 Wildcats to their fifth consecutive victory.
Saint Ignatius, which banged out nine hits and played another solid defensive game in what was its regular-season finale, will now gear up for Monday's OHSAA Division I District Semifinal Game versus the North Royalton Bears. The first pitch from Strongsville High School will be 2 PM and senior southpaw and co-Captain Tommy Grosel (5-0) will take the mound for the 'Cats.
The winner of Monday's game between top-seeded Saint Ignatius and fourth-seeded North Royalton will advance to Tuesday's 5 PM District Championship matchup at Strongsville versus the winner of Monday's 5 PM District Semifinal between the second-seeded Brecksville-Broadview Heights Bees and the third-seeded Strongsville Mustangs. The Mustangs defeated Saint Ignatius in last year's District Final at Strongsville and went on to finish as the Division I State runner-up to Massillon Jackson.
RECOGNIZING A SPECIAL GROUP OF SENIORS: After Saint Ignatius' Coaching Staff, Parents, Family and Friends paid tribute to the Wildcats' Baseball Seniors in what was a special pre-game ceremony on Fisher Field, veteran Head Coach Brad Ganor, coming off his 300th career victory (see the corner's story that was posted Saturday morning), sent one of those special seniors, Matt Hunt, to the mound.
In tarnishing the offensive armor of the Archbishop Hoban Knights, Matt threw seven dominant innings.
After pitching 5 and 1/3 innings of no-hit baseball, Matt yielded the only hit he allowed off a single up the middle. He then retired the next five Knights in a row en route to his first victory of the season and his first on the Varsity level.
Archbishop Hoban (13-9) entered Saturday's game riding high after defeating third-seeded Brunswick, 6-4, in a Sectional Final at the Division I Barberton District. The Knights are the sixth seed at Barberton.
"I was pounding the zone," said Matt, who threw 48 strikes among his 80 pitches and let Saint Ignatius' defense, which is among the state's best, make the plays the Wildcats' faithful have grown accustomed to. "The curveball looked good, I controlled it well and then did a good job of keeping their hitters off balance."
Matt's complete game shutout also showed him striking out five and issuing just one walk.
"A one-hit shutout and a no-hitter going into the sixth, hopefully he will remember that the rest of his life," said Coach Ganor. "That was a pretty special performance. I'm really happy for him. Matt works extremely hard. He's quiet and just takes care of business.
"Here comes the run and we'll see what it brings us," continued Coach Ganor in reference to the Strongsville District. "We are playing our best baseball right now, without a doubt. If anybody beats us, they're going to beat a pretty darn good team.
"Tommy (Grosel) and Drew (fellow co-Captain and catcher Drew Asadorian) have been part of a lot of great memories, but all of them have created special memories for me and hopefully I created some for them, too, Coach Ganor said of his special senior class."
LEADING THE OFFENSE: The Wildcats wore down Archbishop Hoban's pitching with a run in the bottom of the third inning, a decisive four-run fourth inning and an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth.
Baseball savvy senior third baseman JJ Conway and endless energy junior second baseman AJ Gaich each had 2-for-3 afternoons. Senior right fielder Jordan Asimes, who turned in a highlight-reel catch in running down a well-hit ball, went 1-for-1 with two walks, as did Drew Asadorian, who drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore shortstop Michael McNamara had two RBI off a sacrifice fly and a two-out single.
On a personal note, this corner would like to thank all of the senior Baseball Cats for the kindness and respect you always express and for allowing me to take part in one of your pre-game photos on Saturday. God Bless and I will see you on Monday out on Lunn Road in Strongsville.