MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - A pair of runs in the top of the third inning was all starting pitcher Dominic Tognotti needed on Friday night, as St. Ignatius took down St. Francis, 3-1, in another key WCAL matchup.
Teddy Snyder led off the third with a single to center field, and was moved to second base on Jaxon Snipes' sacrifice bunt. Snyder then advanced to third, with two outs, on Jack Thomson's ground ball to second base.
After Andrew Williamson was hit by a pitch, Brown commit Louis Gaitley came through with a hard single to left field, scoring Snyder for the first run of the game. Stephen Bird then singled to center, scoring Williamson for a 2-0 Wildcats' lead. St. Ignatius (8-9, 3-5 WCAL) threatened to add to the lead when John Hanley drove a ball deep to center field, but St. Francis multi-sport standout Garrett McCarthy tracked the ball down on the warning track to end the inning.
The Lancers (9-6, 6-4) cut into the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Ryan Higgins' fly ball to left field with one out brought in RJ Teijeiro. SI quickly added an insurance run for Tognotti, though, when Gaitley scored on a passed ball with two outs in the top of the sixth inning, after reaching on his third hit of the game.
That was plenty for Tognotti, who allowed just one hit in the game, a double to Josh Lauck on the first pitch of the game.
"I didn't feel like I had my best stuff entering the game, but I was able to locate my pitches for strikes and get some early outs," Tognotti said. "Matthew Baker (catcher) called a great game, and our defense was solid. Our offense was clutch, and this became a defining game for our team at this point in the season."
St. Francis plays in the elite Boras Classic this week, opening against Sac-Joaquin power Davis, while St. Ignatius hosts San Lorenzo Valley on Tuesday.
