2/21:  The Giants bounced back posting their first win of the year in a commanding way beating St. Ignatius 12-2 in four and a half innings at Endriss Field. 

Staring pitcher Myles Kawashima sent the Wildcats down in order in the top of the first and after a couple of S.I. errors, Kent Goodman was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Zach Johnson made it hurt, roping a double to left, scoring Luca Bove and Connor Yang putting the Giants up 0-2 after one inning.

The Wildcats answered, after a couple of walks and a Giants error, S.I. plated their first run of the game.  The Giants would give S.I. their other run of the inning, walking home a run and tying the score 2-2.

The Giants scored ten runs in the bottom of the third.  Charlie Welch led off the inning with a single to left.  Luca Bove crushed the 2nd pitch he saw in the next at bat for a triple and a RBI.  Connor Yang knocked in Bove and reached on another S.I. error.  Kent Goodman singled to right and Zach Johnson continued the hit parade with a single to left.  Kent Goodman scored on a botched pick-off attempt and after Jack Piediscalzi walked, Matthew Jessen dropped a bunt, scoring Johnson.  The Giants had scored five runs before S.I. could record an out and come up for air.  Redwood’s first out of the inning proved to be productive one as Tyler Blair hit a fly to center that was deep enough to score Piediscalzi from third.  Cole McGowan followed with a walk, and a pitching change by the Wildcats would yield the same result, as Charlie Welch walked to load the bases.  Luca Bove would be the sixth batter in two games to get hit by a pitch, forcing Jessen home.  Connor Yang then hit back, this time forcing an error by the third baseman scoring McGowan.  Kent Goodman put the icing on the cake, rapping his second hit of the inning, plating Welch.  After the dust had settled, Redwood was up by ten runs, enacting the ‘Mercy Rule’. 

The Wildcats would need to score a run before the end of the fifth inning to continue play, but relief pitcher Tyler Blair and the Giants defense would not let that happen.  The game ended in the fifth.  “It was nice to get that first win out of the way.  Having been so hampered by rain, it was great to knock the rust off and get a good team win.” Head Coach Taber Watson said after the game.  The Giants combined for six hits (Welch, Bove, Goodman (2), Johnson (2)) and took advantage of nine Wildcat errors for the win.

The Giants are on the road to face Dublin on Saturday.