St. Raymond has won so many games late this season – especially in the playoffs – that it was hard for the players not to believe there would be some more heroics.
“I thought we were gonna come back,” pitcher James Santiago said. “I have confidence in my team.”
This game, though, wasn’t like all the rest. Xavier starter Nicky DiLeo shut the Ravens down all game and he did the same in the seventh around a Jon Crucey double. No. 3 St. Ray’s did not muster a hit until that one in a 2-0 loss to No. 8 Xavier in the CHSAA Class A intersectional semifinals elimination game Tuesday night at St. John’s University.
“He just had our number from the beginning,” Ravens coach Ron Patnosh said.
It was an emotional end to a great season for St. Raymond (17-8). The last time the Ravens made the final four was 1997 and their last division title was in 1995. And this group was never supposed to do it, never supposed to come one game away from the CHSAA finals.
“To make it to the final three with all the injuries and the other stuff we had, we didn’t expect this,” Patnosh said.
There were tears and heartfelt hugs from the St. Ray’s players afterward and not just in remembrance of a special season. The loss to Xavier also marked the end of Patnosh’s excellent, 45-year tenure as coach.
“I’m done,” he said. “This is the time to go out – with a team I really love.”
The players are sorry to see him go.
“It really is tough,” Santiago said as he wiped away tears. “The guy is a great coach.”
Santiago helped make him look good down the stretch. Though not a natural pitcher – he’s an excellent first baseman – the junior threw three incredible games late in the season. He got a win against Regis in the regular season, pitched St. Ray’s into the final four against Xaverian on Friday and Tuesday – on three days rest – he gave up two unearned runs on three hits in seven innings.
“He has a lot of heart,” senior catcher Joe Tellez said. “James has always been a workhorse.”
The two errors that led to runs – one by him in the second inning – hurt. But it wasn’t the reason why Xavier (17-7) won. DiLeo was phenomenal. He had a perfect game through four innings and didn’t give up a hit until Crucey’s two-out double in the seventh.
“When you don’t get any hits, it doesn’t matter,” Patnosh said. “We never even put forth a threat.”
St. Ray’s will be back next year and challenge for another division title. Santiago said he is willing to take the ball on a regular basis next year as one of the Ravens’ top pitchers, Manny Rivera, who belted a game-ending two-run home run against Iona Prep Sunday, and Crucey will also return.
But whatever they do, it’ll be without Patnosh. He was one game away from what would have been a perfect ending to an illustrious career.
“I would have liked to have made it to [the championship],”he said.