by John Fanta ’13
PARMA – After play was stopped on Friday in the OHSAA Baseball Tournament’s Cleveland Regional Championship, Coach Brad Ganor had words for his team on the bus. Case Western Reserve University’s Nobby’s Ballpark was a wreck, as the game would be moved to Sunday at noon, at Tri-C West in Parma. Play was stopped after the top of the 1st inning, as Nick Fabian had given Saint Ignatius a 1-0 lead over Toledo Saint Francis with an RBI single. Ganor stood up and said to his team, “Gentlemen, with all of the arranging of trying to make up this game, I want you to know that Toledo Saint Francis just woke up a beast. That beast is the Wildcats. We will be ready to go on Sunday.”
Well, he was more than correct.
“It was one of the most perfect baseball games that I’ve seen a team play,” said reporter Eddie Dwyer. Saint Ignatius pounded Saint Francis for a trip to this weekend’s Final Four play, 14-0, in a five-inning, run-rule game. Coach Brad Ganor and the ‘Cats joyously celebrated at the pitcher’s mound, as the Wildcat Baseball program had clinched their first Final Four berth since 2009. They will take on 22-9 Gahanna Lincoln at 7 pm on Friday at Huntington Park.
Nick Margevicius threw an absolute gem as well, with an excellent defense helping him out. He threw five complete innings and delivered a shutout for his ninth win of the year, but it was the bats that stole the day. After throwing a beautiful 1st inning, the Wildcats came ready to hit in the top of the 2nd. When the day was over, 14 runs on 16 hits would be the work done at the plate.
Quillen Austria started off “right on Q,” as they call him, with a single and a stolen base. The junior was brought in to score by Illinois recruit and graduating senior, Dan Rowbottom, who ripped a one-out RBI single to bring in Quillen. It was only 2-0, and after a scoreless 2nd thrown by Margevicius, the barrage would begin. With one out, Nick Fabian drew a four-pitch walk, then scored on an RBI triple by Miami of Ohio recruit, Nick Longo. Cole Nieto ripped a comebacker to the mound to bring in another, and Quillen Austria tagged a double down the third-base line to get another run in. Joe Khoury hit an RBI infield single to bring another in, then Dan Rowbottom hammered an RBI triple to right that just missed at being a homer. A squeeze bunt by Tyler Finkler and a huge 2-run triple to left by Nick Fabian made it 11-0, in favor of the ‘Cats.
They tacked on another as Fabian scored on a sac fly, as that made it a 10-run inning. Then, the cherry on top came in the 4th, as Alex Panstares hammered a triple and scored on a sac fly. A singly by Dan Rowbottom and an RBI double by Tyler Finkler had finished the monsoons of runs. Saint Francis, who was picked by many to get out of the Cleveland Region, could only drop their jaws during all of this.
On top of everything, it was only a little after 1:30 when the Saint Ignatius seniors got out of Parma comfortably in time for the Class of 2013 Commencement Exercises at the State Theatre.
Coach Brad Ganor’s team will depart for Columbus on Thursday morning, as they will play a scrimmage there to prepare for Friday’s Final Four contest with Gahanna Lincoln. The team will stay at a hotel on Thursday, and then go through some organized activities on Friday.
Friday’s game at Huntington Park will be broadcast on the Saint Ignatius Broadcasting Network.
TUESDAY: Come to West Park Panini’s, where the SIBN runs down the week in sports.
Saint Ignatius, you will have some history made in June, no matter what!
