TheBishop Guertin baseball team celebrates after it got the run to end its Division I prelim win over Windham on a mercy rule Wednesday at Holman Stadium. (Photo by Alexander Posani)

The mercury was reading reading 85 degrees at sun splashed Historic Holman Stadium on Wednesday, but the afternoon heat was rivaled only by the scorching No.5 Bishop Guertin Cardinals baseball team, who defeated No. 12 Windham 12-2 in a five inning mercy rule Division I prelim.

The Jaguars (9-10) came out bunting against BG’s ace pitcher Ben Geiger in the top of the first inning, with three consecutive base hits by bunt, taking the Cardinals infield defense by surprise.

BG turned a 6-4-3 double play,and after a single and a strikeout, was able to keep a bases loaded, none out situation into just a 2-0 deficit. Eddie Charity and Ben Urquhardt contributed with an RBI each for Windham in the top of the first inning.

From there, it was a pure Bishop Guertin onslaught. In five innings, the Cardinals offense, backed by stellar mound work from Ben Geiger, were unstoppable. Nick Wyner (3 for 3, double, three runs, three RBIs), Liam Ireland (3 for 4, four runs, stolen base), Gavin Santos (2 for 4, run, RBI) and Tyler Parks (1 for 4, run, four RBIs) each did their part to lead the offense, and Geiger spun five innings of two-run ball, scattering eight strikeouts in for good measure. Cam Flanders sealed the victory for Bishop Guertin in the bottom of the fifth, with a sacrifice fly and an RBI that put BG at the 10-run mercy rule.

The win not only advances Guertin into the quarterfinals, but the Cards will now get to play at least one more game at Holman as No. 13 Timberlane stunned No. 4 Dover 8-3 in another prelim. That means the Cards as the higher seed get home field vs. the Owls on Saturday, time to be determined according to Painter. The semifinals will also be at HHS as well next Wednesday.

BG coach Scott Painter said the message down 2-0 was simple.

“I said, ‘You guys are the team that went 14-5 and you have to be that team’,” Painter said. “Those guys over there (Windham) came ready to play, but we’re alright if we do what we’ve been working on all year.”

Despite the 2026 season coming to an abrupt halt, Windham coach, Spencer Bergeron had positive takeaways from this game.

“Our compete level was great throughout the year,” he said. “This year, we lost some close games. Next year, we can flip a few more games and continue building from there.”