The Wildcat Sports Report is your weekly roundup of the biggest moments in SI athletics. From thrilling victories to program milestones and community highlights, we bring you the stories that showcase the spirit of our Wildcats.
The Dollard Show: Lightning Strikes Twice at Fairmont Field | Softball Week in Review
Softball seasons often turn on a single moment, when the right player steps to the plate with the game on the line. The Wildcats had two of those moments this week, and both times they delivered.
Her name is Olivia Dollard. Depending on the inning, she serves as the starting pitcher, a middle-of-the-order hitter, and the closer. This week, she played all three roles.
Wednesday: St. Ignatius 5, Aragon 4
Aragon came to Fairmont Field ready to compete, breaking through in the fifth inning to take a 2-0 lead. Their pitcher had kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard through four innings.
St. Ignatius responded in the sixth. Annie Stecher doubled, and Dollard followed with a double of her own to help push the Wildcats in front, 3-2. Aragon answered in the top of the seventh, capitalizing on an SI error to take a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom half, Gianna Galarza opened the inning with her third hit of the day. Dollard then lined a ball into center field to bring home the winning run and secure the 5-4 victory.
Dollard also went the distance in the circle, pitching seven innings while allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits and striking out seven.
Friday: St. Ignatius 5, Burlingame 4
If Wednesday was a thriller, Friday delivered another dramatic finish. St. Ignatius got on the board early when Olivia Dollard tripled in the first inning, but Burlingame responded and carried a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
Dollard stepped to the plate with two runners on and delivered a three-run walk-off home run over the center field fence to seal another 5-4 Wildcat victory.
Julie and Gianna Galarza combined for four hits, while Kaitlin Jacobson drew two walks. Dollard also went the distance in the circle, striking out seven over seven innings.
With two one-run victories, the Wildcats showed poise in late-game situations and strong performances on both sides of the ball. St. Ignatius will look to carry that momentum forward as the season continues.
Wildcats Baseball Completes 2-0 Week with Strong Performances on the Mound
It was a week to remember for the Wildcats baseball program, which picked up two wins this week, a tense pitchers' duel and a decisive road victory, to continue building momentum this spring.
Saturday: Wildcats 2, Granada 1
The week opened with a tight, low-scoring game against Granada. The Matadors struck first in the opening inning, turning a St. Ignatius error into an unearned run and an early 1-0 lead that held through four innings.
The Wildcats finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. With two runners on, Jason Balmy lined a double down the line to bring both runners home and give St. Ignatius a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish. Balmy finished with two RBI, while Ryan Rosenthal added the Wildcats' other hit.
The pitching staff handled the rest. Chase Gordon opened with four strong innings, allowing three hits and one unearned run while striking out three. Charlie Stecher followed with two perfect innings to earn the win. Archer Horn closed the game with a strong final frame, striking out three to secure the victory.
Tuesday: Wildcats 9, Palo Alto 1
If Saturday was a showcase of pitching and resilience, Tuesday was a complete offensive performance. St. Ignatius rolled past Palo Alto 9-1 on the road behind 13 hits and another strong outing from the pitching staff.
Archer Horn got the Wildcats started early with a solo home run in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. St. Ignatius added to the advantage in the third when DJ Delaney tripled down the right field line and Ryan Rosenthal followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.
Delaney led the offense, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBI. Horn, Rosenthal, and Delmar Petersen also recorded multiple hits. The Wildcats were sharp defensively, committing no errors and turning a double play.
On the mound, Connor Law threw three and two-thirds scoreless innings while allowing just three hits. Leo Rhein followed with two and one-third strong innings of relief, and AJ Wineinger closed the game with a clean final inning.
Looking Ahead
The Wildcats head into the coming week riding the momentum of a clean week of baseball and strong performances on both sides of the ball. St. Ignatius hosts Carlmont on Friday before opening WCAL play Tuesday against Mitty at Dekker Diamond.
Wildcats' Depth and Jayden Jew's 5-Under Round Lead SI Past Serra
On March 4th, Wildcat golfer Jayden Jue delivered a spectacular performance, firing a 5-under-par 31 in windy conditions to lead St. Ignatius to a team victory over Serra High School. Jayden's outstanding round helped power the Wildcats to a team score of 179, defeating the Padres by six strokes.
While standout performances like Jayden's lead the way, the true hallmark of the Wildcats' success has been the depth of the roster. On any given day, multiple players are capable of posting low scores, making the team one of the most balanced and formidable squads in the league.
The Wildcats return to action next week in a key matchup against Bellarmine, before traveling to Sacramento to compete in the Fr. Barry Invitational
McCuskey-Hay Breaks Long Jump School Record in League Opener, Wildcats Sweep SHC
The St. Ignatius Track and Field team opened league competition with a strong showing against Sacred Heart Cathedral on Wednesday at home, highlighted by record-breaking performances and multiple entries into the SI all-time lists.
Ellie McCuskey-Hay delivered one of the standout performances of the meet, breaking her own school record in the long jump with a leap of 19-09.75, improving her previous mark by two inches. The jump currently ranks No. 1 in the state of California this season.
McCuskey-Hay also won the 200m dash in 25.02, edging teammate Avery Hui-Bytof in a close race. Hui-Bytof finished second in 25.35, and both performances now rank among the top ten times in St. Ignatius history in the event.
Hui-Bytof added another victory in the 100m dash, winning in 12.27, a season best that ranks among the top five all-time marks at SI.
On the men's side, Zui Shelton won the 200m dash in 22.63, while Jack Farrell took first in the 110m hurdles in 15.16. Both performances earned spots on the SI top ten all-time list.
The Wildcats picked up several other individual event wins throughout the meet as well, contributing to a strong overall team performance.
St. Ignatius defeated Sacred Heart Cathedral across all levels in the dual meet, with victories from Varsity Men, Varsity Women, JV Women, and Frosh/Soph Men.
Looking ahead, the Wildcats will compete this weekend at the Hillsdale Fighting Knight Relays and the Bob Warren 56 Meet at Acalanes High School, before returning to league competition next week against Bellarmine and Presentation on Wednesday at home.
And that's a wrap for the Wildcat Sports Report – Go 'Cats!
