While the wind was whipping around Fairmont Field, the real force of nature was Serra right-hander Juliano Rodriguez in his first turn through the St. Ignatius batting order.
Rodriguez enjoyed a solid start to the West Catholic Athletic League season, facing one over the minimum through the first three innings en route to earning the win in the Padres’ 7-2 victory in Pacifica over the Wildcats.
Serra (1-0 WCAL, 5-2 overall) jumped up in the fourth inning and maintained its lead throughout as the two teams traded runs through the middle innings. The Padres continued to add to their lead going up 3-1 in the fifth and 4-2 in the sixth before breaking it open in the seventh.
“That’s a good sign for us as a team is to be able to limit them to one run, and then you come back and you get that back,” Serra manager Chris Houle said. “It’s good for the morale and the mental side of it.”
Striking out eight through five innings of work to improve his record to 2-1, Rodriguez notched six punch-outs through the first three frames. He lost a no-hitter in the fourth on a leadoff triple by Justin Williamson. The senior right-hander grinded through his final two innings of work to walk off the mound by stranding a runner on third base with a one-run lead.
“First (WCAL) start of the season, I think I could have done a little bit better,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve got some kinks to work out. The offense came to hit today. We’ve got to keep that going.”
Rodriguez locked up with St. Ignatius starter Nick Miglio and the two breezed through the first three frames. Then the Serra offense went to work in the fourth.
Jeremy Villar started the rally when he got hit by a pitch. The senior then stole second and moved to third on a groundout. Cleanup hitter Dominic Meza then got the Padres on the board, fighting off a two-strike fastball to drop an RBI single into center field. Meza was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs scored on the day.
The Padres added on after Marek Palladino reached on an infield throwing error to put runners at the corners. Junior first baseman Michael Sarhatt followed with an RBI single to right to put Serra up 2-0.
St. Ignatius (0-1, 4-2) committed two costly errors in the game, both leading to runs.
“[Maglio] did really well,” St. Ignatius manager Brian Pollzzie said. “I thought he gave us a chance to win. He zipped through those first three or four innings. He did everything to put us in a good position to win. We just didn’t make plays.”
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After Williamson’s leadoff triple in the fourth, St. Ignatius got on the board on an RBI groundout by Mario Demera, setting a trend that saw neither Rodriguez nor Miglio able to turn in a shutdown inning.
Serra manufactured a run in the top of the fifth to go up 3-1. Omar Barraza reached on a throwing error to start the inning. He moved to second on a pearl of a sacrifice bunt by No. 9 hitter Tucker Tollman then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Senior leadoff man Kannon Clayton then lifted a sacrifice foul fly to right.
St. Ignatius closed it to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth but Rodriguez ultimately finished his day by stranding the potential tying run on third base. The right-hander mixed a three-pitch repertoire effectively, utilizing a fastball, slider and changeup. Perhaps the most effective weapon at the senior’s disposal, though, is his emotion as, when things don’t go his way, his temperament causes him to add velocity.
“When I get mad, I get mad,” Rodriguez said. “I try to throw the ball harder.”
The Wildcats set the table with a leadoff single by Matt Rosen and Matthew Kitts reaching on an infield error, putting runners at first and second with no outs. Vicente Molina followed with a sacrifice to put both runners in scoring position.
Rodriguez worked out of the jam though. He conceded a run on an RBI groundout by Colin Clifford to make in a one-run game. But with a runner on third and two outs, Williamson flew out to right to end the threat to close the book on Rodriguez.
After throwing just eight innings last season as a junior, Rodriguez has already thrown 12 2/3 this season. And his effort drew a positive review from his skipper.
“Solid,” Houle said. “Very solid. Good combo with the fastball and the slider. And got ahead of guys for the most part. ... He did a good job of mixing stuff.”
Serra added a run in the sixth when senior Christian Falk delivered a pinch-hit RBI single with a check-swing liner to center to drive home Meza. Then in the seventh, the Padres broke it open with a two-run double by Meza, followed by a sacrifice fly by Palladino.
Senior right-hander Timmy Ghiorso closed it out for the Padres with two perfect innings of relief to earn the save.
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