Tuesday's performance by the St. Edmond baseball team served as another strong reminder of just how powerful they can be.

Firing on all cylinders throughout the evening, the No. 4 (Class 2A) Gaels (24-2 overall, 13-0 in the North Central Conference) continued to impress by sweeping a home twinbill with NCC foe Iowa Falls-Alden (1-15, 1-12) inside Rogers Sports Complex.

SEHS routed the overwhelmed Cadets by a 20-0 count in its opener and kept the momentum going with a 24-0 thrashing in the nightcap.

With the pair of lopsided victories, the green and white pushed their win streak to a remarkable 22 consecutive games.

"All of our kids were aggressive at the plate and swung the bats extremely well," said Gael head coach Joe Shanks. "(Iowa Falls-Alden) is an awfully young team, though, that is better built for the future.

"We're an experienced ballclub, and it obviously showed (last night)."

The NCC-leading Gaels, in search of their fourth league crown since 2004, banged out 19 hits in both contests, while Iowa Falls-Alden managed a total of just two hits.

In game one, SEHS erupted for six runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a three-run homer to right-center field by senior Jon Flattery.

Ten more Gaels crossed the plate in the second, as Jon Flattery - an Iowa Central baseball recruit - provided the key hit once again with a bases-clearing double.

Sophomore Anthony Flattery later delivered the final blow to the Cadets with a two-run single to center in the third.

Jon Flattery went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and seven RBI to fuel the vaunted SEHS assault.

Nick Clark, Anthony Flattery, Joey Flattery and Patrick Flattery all contributed two hits. Joey Flattery also scored three runs, while Clark, Anthony Flattery, John Engler, Patrick Flattery, Brandon Derrig, Billy Mann and Andrew Bianchi each came home twice.

Anthony Flattery, Thomas Kesten, Patrick Flattery, Derrig and Bianchi all recorded a pair of RBI.

That was plenty of run support for pitcher Jon Flattery (6-1). The southpaw went the distance, surrendering only two hits with one walk and nine strikeouts.

"Jon kept getting sharper as the game went on," Shanks said.

Propelled by a no-hitter from hurler Anthony Flattery, the Gaels didn't skip a beat in the second contest. Joey Flattery blasted a towering two-out long ball to right in the first.

An Anthony Flattery three-run two-bagger - coupled with a two-run dinger from Jon Flattery - opened the floodgates for SEHS in the second.

Before the frame was over, the Gaels sent 18 batters to the plate and collected 15 runs.

Anthony Flattery helped his own cause with three hits, two runs and eight RBI.

Clark, Joey Flattery, Engler, Kesten and Patrick Buhr each notched two hits and two runs. Clark knocked in three runs as well and Joey Flattery had two RBI.

"This is an extremely close group of kids that is a having a lot of fun right now," said Shanks. "We're enjoying ourselves, but we still have so much left to play for."

Meanwhile, the lone baserunner Anthony Flattery (2-1) allowed reached on a SEHS throwing error with one out in the fourth.

"I haven't pitched much this season, so I just let our defense make the plays behind me," Flattery said. "(Last night), I felt pretty good out there."

The Gaels return to the diamond tonight, hosting Bishop Garrigan at 7:30 p.m.

Contact Josh Meyer at (515) 573-2141, or by e-mail at sports@messengernews.net