CLEVELAND, OH - The Diamond Cats have extended their win streak to five after a 5-1 victory over the Normandy Invaders. It was a game that almost made the history books for the program, as seniors Gianni Anthony and Vance Brody combined to throw a one-hitter.
Anthony got his first start of the 2025 campaign on Wednesday and, from the first pitch, was locked in early against the Invaders. He would strike out two and sit down Normandy in a 1-2-3 first inning.
The Wildcat bats looked to heat up in the cold Cleveland air from Brookside Reservation; with back-to-back singles from Jackson Anthony and Brayden Colleran, the Wildcats had two on with one out. Junior Jacob Merheb got his first of three RBIs on a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Anthony to make it 1-0 in the first inning.
Gianni Anthony was on fire when he came back out on the bump for the second and third innings, going 1-2-3 again and taking his strikeout total to four.
At the bottom of the third, the Wildcats threatened to score once again. Like the first frame, Anthony and Colleran roped back-to-back singles. Colleran would steal second, and the Cats had two runners in scoring position. Merheb would again hit a sacrifice fly, this time to right field that scored Anthony. However, Colleran would be thrown out at third trying to tag and after three innings, the Wildcats led 2-0.
Gianni Anthony would open the fourth inning hitting a Normandy batter, the first base runner of the night for the Invaders. Anthony would work his way out and pitch another scoreless inning.
Normandy's Dillon Vargo would go four innings and work the tight rope, limiting the Wildcats from blowing open the game. Vargo would go four innings, allowing seven hits, and two earned runs.
Gianni Anthony came out for his fifth and final inning of work, pitching a scoreless fifth, and allowing one base runner via a hit-by-pitch. Anthony struck out five.
In the bottom half of the fifth, the Wildcats used to pull away from Normandy. Brett Krugman drew a walk, and Colleran would smash a double to right field to score Krugman to make it 3-0 Wildcats. Merheb would hit his team-leading ninth RBI with a single that scored courtesy runner AJ Peluso. Merheb's third RBI of the game made it 4-0.
Brody would be brought in for the sixth inning for Gianni Anthony. After two Invader batters reached via a walk and catcher's interference, Brody would work out of the jam.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, junior Marcus Tekancic would drive a single to left field; after stealing second base, Krugman would put a ball into play in center, but Normandy would have trouble making a play on the ball, and Tekancic scored on the error to make it 5-0.
The seventh inning arrived, and the Wildcats had a no-hitter going against the Invaders. Brody struck out the lead-off batter and allowed a walk but forced a ground out to have two down in the inning. Normandy's Logan Steele would hit a weak dribbler up the third baseline that Krugman could not make a play on, and it would be Normandy's first hit of the night, breaking the no-hitter. Cam Justice would score, and the Wildcats maintained a 5-1 lead.
Brody would strike out the next Normandy batter in Cullen Rooney to put a bow on the game and notched the Wildcats' fifth consecutive win.
The Baseball Cats will host the Walsh Jesuit Warriors (3-1) on Friday, April 11, at 5 p.m. from Talty Field. They'll travel to Columbus on Saturday to take on the Olentangy Berlin Bears.
