St. Ignatius Varsity Wildcats put together one of their most complete performances of the young season Tuesday evening, dismantling Archbishop Riordan 10–2 at Dekker Diamond in a statement win that was never truly in doubt after the second inning.
Riordan struck first. The Crusaders got on the board in the top of the first with a solo home run to left field, giving Archbishop Riordan an early lead and momentarily silencing the home crowd.
The Wildcats wasted no time responding. In the bottom of the first, Ryan Rosenthal drew a walk, and after Jason Balmy grounded into a double play, RJ Church delivered a run-scoring double down the left field line to give St. Ignatius the 2–1 lead they would never relinquish.
The decisive blow came in the bottom of the second, when AJ Wineinger unloaded a three-run home run to left field, extending the St. Ignatius lead to 5–1 and effectively putting the game out of reach. Wineinger finished the day 1-for-2 with three RBI — the most productive line in the Wildcats' lineup.
St. Ignatius did much of its damage not just with the long ball, but with disciplined at-bats throughout the lineup. The Wildcats drew an impressive 11 walks on the afternoon, putting constant pressure on Riordan's pitching staff. Jason Balmy, Archer Horn, and Jack Callen each drew two free passes to lead the way. The Wildcats were equally aggressive on the base paths, swiping four stolen bases and turning the game into a full-field showcase. Defensively, St. Ignatius turned in two double plays to snuff out any Riordan rally attempts.
Five Wildcats recorded hits on the day — Rosenthal, Wineinger, DJ Delaney, Chase Gordon, and Church each contributing a single knock.
On the mound, Chase Gordon earned the win, working 4? innings and allowing just one earned run on five hits, striking out three and walking one before handing the ball to Leo Rhein, who slammed the door and earned the save.
Up Next: The rivalry continues Friday when St. Ignatius travels to Archbishop Riordan for the rematch. After Tuesday's dominant showing, the Wildcats will carry considerable momentum — and the Crusaders will be eager to respond on their home turf.
