Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Jake Szalat of St. Edmond tries to slide at Rogers Park last week.

The St. Edmond baseball team got back on track here Friday night at Rogers Park, posting a 7-2 victory over Iowa Falls-Alden behind senior twins Cole and Connor Allison.

Cole Allison was 2-for-4 with two runs, a pair of RBI and a stolen base from his leadoff spot in the order, while Connor Allison went 3-for-4 with three steals, two RBI and a run.

Despite missing time early in the season due to playing with the Fort Dodge soccer team, the Allisons have looked to be in midseason form.

“They can really make things happen at the top of the order for us,” SEHS head coach Joe Shanks said. “Both Cole and Connor have been coming in early and taking extra batting practice. They have both been putting in the time.

“Both of them also have such strong drives to succeed that they really set the tone for us.”

Jake Szalat pitched six innings of five-hit ball, striking out nine and walking three to improve to 2-0 on the mound this year. The win snapped a two-game losing skid for the Gaels (4-2 overall, 1-1 in North Central Conference).

Szalat received all the run support he would need in the second inning, as St. Edmond plated four runs off Ben Scadden. Cole Allison drove in his eighth and ninth runs of the season with a single and came around to score on a double steal with Connor Allison.

“Jake pitched really well,” Shanks said. “That’s his second straight good outing. He’s coming into form as our No. 1 (pitcher).”

Szalat, a junior, threw 103 pitches on the night, with 63 of them going for strikes. In 12 innings this year, he has 20 strikeouts against three walks.

In the fourth, the Gaels added three insurance runs. This time it was Connor Allison delivering the two-run single. He also stole second and third before scoring himself on a Cadet (2-5, 0-2) error.

Cael Kolacia, who pitched the seventh inning and recorded a strikeout, went 1-for-3 with a run scored. Nick Bennett and Chris Baker each scored a run, while Sam Dougall had a run and a steal.

Since suffering a 5-4 loss in 2013 to the Cadets, the Gaels have won eight straight vs. their NCC rival. During that time, they have outscored IF-A 87-15.

“We’ve still got improvements to make, but this was a good win for us,” Shanks said. “We were able to put the ball in play and put pressure on their defense.”

For Iowa Falls-Alden, eighth-grader Garret Renaud had an RBI double.

St. Edmond returns to action Saturday when they play Remsen St. Mary’s at noon and Iowa City Regina at 4 p.m. as part of the CYO. The SEHS-Remsen St. Mary’s game will be contested in Glidden.

ST. EDMOND 7, IOWA FALLS-ALDEN 2

Iowa Falls-Alden 000 020 0 — 2 5 3

St. Edmond 040 300 x — 7 7 1

Ben Scadden (L, 0-2, 4 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 5 K, 4 BB), Quinton Buresh (2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB) and Henry Cruz; Jake Szalat (W, 2-0, 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 9 K, 3 BB), Cael Kolacia (1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, 1 BB) and Jack McEvoy.

2B–IF-A: Garret Renaud; SE: Connor Allison. RBI–IF-A: Garret Renaud, Ben Scadden; SE: Cole Allison (2), Connor Allison (2). SB–SE: Cole Allison, Connor Allison (3), Sam Dougall.