NORDONIA, OH - The Cats were looking to keep the good times rolling heading into this past Friday's action, riding their longest winning streak of the year with four straight victories, including a 13-2 rout over Elyria in the District Semifinal. To secure their first district title in four years, they'd have to get through their rival, the St. Edward Eagles, who just barely survived in the district semifinals against Mentor with a 2-1 victory in which they took the lead in the sixth inning. Saint Ignatius and St. Edward saw each other earlier in the season, with the Cats securing a 3-0 road victory. Since that point, both teams posted a 10-7 record to round out their season and are heading into action on Friday. 

The Cats wouldn't wait long to get things jump-started on Friday, as Jackson Anthony smoked a ball over the wall in left-center field on the fourth pitch of the game to give the Cats an early 1-0 lead. On the other end, Ben Olack got the nod for the Cats on the mound. Olack was incredible coming out of the bullpen in the first matchup against the Eagles, and was looking to replicate that performance and give the Cats some length in this ballgame.

Olack put up a zero after a leadoff base knock in the bottom of the first frame, setting down three straight and punching out two to avoid any trouble. Offensively, the Cats used small ball to their advantage in the second inning, bunting three times, recording two infield singles, and ultimately putting up two in the frame courtesy of a two-out, two-run single from Ryan Whelan to give the Cats a 3-0 lead. The inning could have been worse;  however, the Cats had a runner cut down at the plate earlier in the inning on a squeeze play. Still, they held this 3-0 lead into the third inning as Olack put up another zero, dancing around a two-out double. 

The third inning was quick on both sides; however, both teams did get base runners throughout the first three frames, including the third. The difference, however, was similar to the first matchup, where the Cats excelled in their situational hitting, while the Eagles could not seem to break through. 

The Cats would end up blowing the game wide open in the fourth inning. The bottom of the Wildcat order got things going and set the table for the top of the order, setting up a potential big inning from the Cats. Jackson Anthony continued to stay red hot at the plate for the Cats, driving home one on an RBI double to the wall in right. Anthony would end the game 4-4 with a pair of extra-base hits on his ledger. The Cats busted the game open in the batters later, as Brayden Colleran slugged a three-run shot to right center to give the Cats a 7-0 lead in the fourth.

The Eagles would respond with a pair in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double and a sac-fly to cut the deficit down to five. However, the Cats regained their seven-run lead in the sixth inning on an error that brought home two runs after the Cats loaded the bases. The cats would add even more to their lead when Finn Barmann singled home another run, making it 10-2. Pinch hitters came through in a big way for the Cats in this inning, first with Barmann, and then with Trey Powers, who brought in two more runs on a base hit down the right field line, making it a 12-2 game in the sixth inning. 

The Eagles kept the game alive in the sixth inning with an infield single to make it a 12-3 game before they were set down by Olack. Olack put together another incredible outing, going six frames, striking out seven, and only surrendering two earned runs. His day was done after 96 pitches, and Sam LoParo came in to close it out in the seventh. The Eagles did manage to scratch one more across, but it was far too little, far too late, and a lineout to center put an end to the ballgame and gave the Cats their first District Title since 2022 with a 12-4 win against their archrival, St. Edward.

In the district's overall, the bats exploded for the Cats, scoring 25 runs in two games en route to a District Title. The Cats have now won five games in a row, outscoring opponents 47-9 in that stretch. The Cats are back in action in Canton at Thurman Munson Memorial Stadium on Wednesday against Massillon Jackson, and again on Thursday if they win Wednesday against the winner of Strongsville and Perrysburg. The Cats defeated Massillon Jackson on the road 7-4 earlier this season; however, pitching matchups will likely be different, and anything can happen this time of year, so it certainly won't be easy for the Cats.