St. Ignatius Varsity Softball built an early multi-run cushion and then survived a stunning six-run comeback attempt by Sacred Heart Cathedral to hold on for an 11–7 win Wednesday in Pacifica.

St. Ignatius wasted no time getting on the board. In the bottom of the first, Ave Anderson tripled to center field and Gianna Galarza followed with an RBI single, staking the Wildcats to an early 2–0 lead. A double by Julie Galarza in the second pushed the advantage to 4–0, and a walk by Annie Stecher along with an SHC error added two more runs in the third to make it 6–0.

The Fightin' Irish refused to go quietly. A home run to left field in the top of the fourth was part of a jaw-dropping six-run rally that tied the game at six and silenced the SI crowd momentarily.

But the Wildcats responded immediately and emphatically. St. Ignatius sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth, erupting for five runs on seven hits to retake the lead for good at 11–6. The key blow came from Vicky Carillo Marchetti, whose two-run double proved to be the decisive swing of the game. Sacred Heart added a lone run in the sixth to make it a final of 11–7, but St. Ignatius held firm the rest of the way.

Olivia Dollard earned the win in the circle for St. Ignatius, working all seven innings and striking out nine while allowing 10 hits and seven runs — five earned.

St. Ignatius amassed 16 hits on the day, with Sam Goethals, Gianna Galarza, and Delilah Berry each collecting three. Galarza, Stecher, and Carillo Marchetti each drove in two runs to pace the offense.

Up next, St. Ignatius travels to face Archbishop Mitty on Friday.