The Riordan Varsity Baseball team played against the Marin Catholic Wildcats on March 22 at Oracle Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants.
The team was invited as part of the 19th Annual Dante Benedetti Classic. It was a triple header, including two other games, University vs. Head-Royce and St. Ignatius vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral.
“Getting invited to play at Oracle Park was a testament to how far we’ve come,” said Craig Sargent, head coach of the baseball team. “This program has been searching for moments like this—opportunities to show that Riordan baseball is back.”
The game started off strong. Mason Cohn ’26, Riordan’s starting pitcher, struck out the first batter of the game.
“I’m out there for a reason, so I just gotta do what I can to help my team win,” said Cohn.
The Crusaders put up a great fight and played hard throughout the course of the ball game. The first two innings were full of suspense, with the score being 0-0, and by the 3rd inning, the score was 3-0, Marin Catholic.
Within the seven innings, the team fell short in a 5-0 loss to Marin Catholic.
Dante Curmi ’27, who had the opportunity to play up from JV, said, “Even though we lost, it was still a great experience. As a kid, I would always watch the Giants play, and I would’ve never thought to be playing on the same field as the players I grew up watching.”
The team now has a record of 4-6-1, and though the outcome of the game was not ideal, players and coaches still believe that it was a great experience to play at Oracle Park and are excited to keep that tradition going.
Coach Sargent said, “Since I took over in June, these guys have put in so much work, grinding every day to change the culture and raise the standard.”
He added, “Seeing them step onto that field, taking it all in, was a moment of pride. For too long, this program has been overlooked, and for once, the spotlight was shining directly on us.”
The team will continue to play against Marin Catholic once a year at Oracle, as a way to continue to build hype for the team. This game served as a powerful glimpse into the bright future of this electric program.
