by Wyatt Bose ’23
Last Tuesday (5/2), the Bells lost a nailbiter to the St. Ignatius Wildcats by a score of 2-1. Fittingly, to kickoff the WCAL playoffs this Tuesday night (5/9), the Bells would get a chance at redemption with the Wildcats in town for round 2.
However, this game was different than the typical WCAL playoff game. In a 4-way tie for 4th place, Bellarmine, Serra, St. Ignatius, and Sacred Heart Cathedral (all 6-8 in league) would play a miniature tournament for 4th and 5th place.
Heading into the game, the main concern for the Bells was their lackluster offense. On May 2nd, Bellarmine tallied 8 strikeouts to just 6 hits and 3 walks with a team average of .250. On the bright side, the boys had ducks on the pond all game, leaving 9 runners on base, but failed to string together consecutive hits to put ample points on the board.
May 9th offered a chance to right the wrong and build momentum for a successful WCAL run. The Bells’ offense would have to get off to a hot start and convert in RISP situations if they wanted to put away a hungry St. Ignatius team.
Despite high expectations ahead of the game, the Bells came out flat and sluggish in the 1st inning. From a 3-run Top 1st for St. Ignatius to another runner left stranded in scoring position for the Bells in the bottom half of the inning, WCAL was off to a shaky start.
Unfortunately, it was more of the same old, same old for the boys in blue. In the 2nd, after an error to load the bases, St. Ignatius scored its fourth run of the game on a 2-out passed ball.
The 3rd inning offered Bellarmine’s best opportunity to put a dent in the Wildcats’ lead. Nate Escalada ’23 sparked some momentum with an HBP, and Chase Knight ’23 followed with a 2-out single through the 5-6 hole. Escalada would steal 3rd and Knight 2nd to put two runners in scoring position for Thomas Trombotore ’23. Trombotore would walk to load the bases. After a long St. Ignatius mound visit, however, the senior was unexpectedly picked-off to end the inning and the Bells never seemed to overcome it.
St. Ignatius won the affair 5-0, but the end of the Bells’ season was (and still is) yet to be determined.
The Bells take on Serra at 4pm today (5/10) at home for one last chance to keep their season alive. With a win, Bellarmine will face the loser of Sacred Heart vs. St. Ignatius.
If Sacred Heart loses, and Bellarmine beats Sacred Heart, the Bells will get the 5th seed. However, if St. Ignatius loses to Sacred Heart, St. Ignatius will automatically be granted the 5th seed and the Bells’ season will almost certainly be over.
So, go Wildcats?
Wyatt Bose is the Sports Editor and a staff writer for The Bell Online. Check out his sports blog: thecogentcolumn.com.
