It was a game for the pitching purists.

On a Saturday afternoon where runs were scarce and every pitch felt consequential, the St. Ignatius Wildcats edged Granada 2-1, winning on the strength of a dominant pitching staff and one clutch swing from Jason Balmy.

For four innings, both teams were locked in a tense, low-scoring affair with Granada holding a 1-0 edge — a gift handed to them in the first inning when a St. Ignatius error allowed a run to score. It was the kind of unearned run that can loom large late in a pitcher's duel, and it did — right up until the bottom of the fifth.

That's when Balmy stepped up with two runners on and lined a double that plated both of them, flipping the script and giving St. Ignatius a 2-1 lead it would never relinquish. The one hit was all Balmy needed — he finished 1-for-1 with two RBI, the most efficient line in the box score.

The pitching staff did the rest.

Chase Gordon got the ball first for the Wildcats and was sharp from the opening frame. The lefty worked four innings, scattering three hits and allowing just the one unearned run while striking out three and issuing no walks. He recorded 12 outs and kept the Wildcats in the game through the heart of the lineup.

Charlie Stecher came on in relief. The right-hander was perfect over two innings — no hits, no runs, no walks. Stecher was credited with the win with his clean two-inning outing.

Then came, Archer Horn to close it out and was nothing short of brilliant — one inning, one hit, zero runs, and three strikeouts; the finishing touch on a masterfully coordinated pitching performance.

Ryan Rosenthal also had a hit for the Wildcats, who finished with just two knocks on the day — a reminder that sometimes two hits are all you need.

St. Ignatius takes their act on the road next, traveling to Palo Alto on Tuesday.