BASEBALL 2026

Panthers Walk It Off: Saint Mary’s Stuns Undefeated Bishop O’Dowd

Friday, March 20, 2026 - In a game that lived up to the hype from first pitch to final swing, Saint Mary’s delivered a thrilling 7–6 walk-off victory over previously undefeated Bishop O’Dowd on Friday afternoon.

Coming off a strong 12–5 win over St. Patrick-St. Vincent just two days earlier, the Panthers carried their momentum into a highly anticipated matchup against the Dragons. From the outset, it was clear fans were in for a battle.

Bishop O’Dowd struck first in the top of the opening inning, launching a solo home run to take a 1–0 lead. Saint Mary’s wasted no time responding, plating two runs in the bottom half of the inning to jump ahead 2–1. Both teams settled in during the second, but the Panthers added another run in the third to extend their lead to 3–1.

The back-and-forth affair continued in the fourth, with each team scoring a run, giving Saint Mary’s a 4–2 advantage heading into the fifth. The Dragons surged ahead in that inning, putting together a three-run rally to reclaim the lead at 5–4. Each team added a run in the sixth, keeping Bishop O’Dowd in front 6–5 heading into the final frame.

In the top of the seventh, Lucas Caldivita stepped up on the mound in a big way. Despite working through a walk and an error, Caldivita struck out three batters to keep the Panthers within one and set the stage for a dramatic finish.

Saint Mary’s began the bottom of the seventh with a ball put in play by Bryce Gilmore that resulted in an error, allowing him to reach base. Head Coach Flemer then made a key substitution, bringing in junior catcher Leo Ramirez.

After falling behind 0–2 in the count, Ramirez stayed composed. On the next pitch, he delivered the moment of the game, crushing a deep drive to left field that cleared the fence for a two-run walk-off home run, sending the Panthers dugout into celebration and sealing the 7–6 victory.

Three Panthers recorded two RBIs on the day, including Logan Donivel, Bryce Gilmore, and the hero of the game, Leo Ramirez.

On the mound, Damien Nolan got the start, striking out five batters over three innings while allowing two earned runs. Caldivita came in for relief and went the distance, finishing with eight strikeouts in a gutsy performance.

With the win, Saint Mary’s improves to 5–1 on the season and will look to carry this momentum on the road when they travel to face University next Tuesday.

Panthers Open Season with 6–1 Victory Over Stuart Hall High School

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 - Saint Mary’s Baseball opened the season in impressive fashion with a 6–1 win over Stuart Hall High School.

The Panthers wasted no time getting on the board as Logan Donoviel led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run, setting the tone early. Saint Mary’s carried that momentum into the second inning, exploding for four RBIs to take a commanding 5–0 lead.

The Panthers added another run in the fourth to extend the advantage to 6–0, backed by strong pitching and solid defensive play throughout the game.

In the top of the seventh, Stuart Hall threatened after loading the bases and drew a walk to score their lone run of the afternoon. With two outs and momentum beginning to shift, Ronan Gardner was called in to close the door. Gardner delivered under pressure, striking out the final batter to secure the 6–1 victory.

Saint Mary’s now turns its attention to the road as the Panthers travel to face St. Joseph Notre Dame High School this Friday.

Panthers Stay Hot, Improve to 3-0 with 14-3 Win Over Salesian

Monday, March 2, 2026 - Saint Mary’s Baseball continued its strong start to the season, earning its third consecutive win with a convincing 14-3 victory over Salesian College Preparatory.

The Panthers came out aggressive at the plate, plating six runs in the first inning to immediately seize control and set the tempo for the afternoon. From there, Saint Mary’s continued to apply pressure offensively while getting steady production on the mound.

Ronan Gardner led the charge, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Nico Pilara delivered a big performance as well, finishing 2-for-3 with five RBI and a run scored. Cooper Nitsan and Leo Ramirez each added two RBI to round out a balanced offensive attack.

On the mound, Cody Wegner and Cedric Boardman combined to keep Salesian in check, recording four strikeouts apiece and limiting scoring opportunities.

With the win, the Panthers improve to 3-0 to open the season and will look to continue their momentum when they host Encinal High School on Thursday.

Saint Mary’s is building early-season confidence and showing depth both at the plate and on the hill as the young season unfolds.