Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: St. Edmond's Ansley Oswald slides into home plate on Tuesday night at Rogers Park. For more photos, visit CU.messengernews.net

The fourth-ranked (Class 1A) St. Edmond softball team showed in spurts what their high-powered offense is capable of this coming summer.

At the same time, the Gaels had moments where they looked like it was the first week of the season.

Behind a late flurry of runs, St. Edmond scored a doubleheader sweep in its home opener here on Tuesday night at Rogers Park over Saint Ansgar, 5-4 and 14-6 in six innings.

University of Iowa signee Mariah Myers hit a home run and added two doubles, while Keiser University commit Faith Shirbroun slugged a homer, a triple and scored four runs on the night.

Following a loss to No. 3 (1A) Newell-Fonda on the road Monday, SEHS head coach Bill Shirbroun was excited to get right back to work on the field.

“We’re a work in progress,” Shirbroun said. “We’ve obviously got the talent to have a great season, and we have some key young kids who are going to help us both this year and for the future. Now, we just have to start putting it together.

“I was happy to see us finish (game two) strong with a big inning and show what we care capable of.”

Both the Gaels (2-1 overall) and Saints (0-2) exchanged five-run frames in the nightcap, with St. Edmond going up in the fourth and Saint Ansgar answering in the fifth.

In the sixth, though, things turned upside-down for the visitors, as the Gaels plated eight runs to secure the mercy-rule victory.

Shirbroun finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored, a triple and two walks, Myers was 2-for-2 with her homer, a double, two runs, two RBI and two walks.

Myrah Lemon delivered two doubles and drove in three out of the No. 8 spot in the order. Lauren Gibb tallied two hits and scored twice, Toryn Helle drove in two and scored twice, Rihanna Myers had two hits and two runs, and Sophia Schlienz registered two hits, two RBI and a run scored.

“We started putting the ball in play and we were able to do what we wanted there in the sixth,” Shirbroun said. “That’s the kind of offense I expect out of us.”

Shirbroun stole three bases. Schlienz picked up the win with a scoreless inning in relief of eighth-grader Breckyn Ulrich, who struck out five.

In the opener, Mariah Myers was 3-for-3, Ansley Oswald had two hits and scored twice, Lemon added two hits and Jade Rock stole three bases.

Helle struck out five in five innings to secure the victory.

St. Edmond will take Wednesday off before heading to Pocahontas Area on Thursday with the North Central Conference opener set for Friday against Humboldt.

ST. EDMOND 5, SAINT ANSGAR 4

Saint Ansgar 002 011 0 — 4 5 1

St. Edmond 111 200 x — 5 9 1

WP–Toryn Helle (1-0, 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 0 BB). LP–Josie Juhl (0-1, 6 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 5 K, 3 BB). HR–SE: Faith Shirbroun. 2B–SE: Mariah Myers, Ansley Oswald. RBI–SA: Makenna Norby (3), Brayli Sherrard; SE: Faith Shirbroun, Breckyn Ulrich. SB–SE: Ella Vandi, Mariah Myers, Jade Rock (3).

ST. EDMOND 14, SAINT ANSGAR 6 (6 inn.)

Saint Ansgar 005 010 — 6 9 4

St. Edmond 005 108 — 14 14 2

WP–Sophia Schlienz (1-0, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB). LP–Lakin Evans (0-1, 1ª IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 0 K, 3 BB). HR–SA: Josie Juhl; SE: Mariah Myers. 3B–SE: Sophia Schlienz, Faith Shirbroun. 2B–SE: Rihanna Myers, Mariah Myers, Myrah Lemon (2). RBI–SA: Josie Juhl (4), Makenna Norby; SE: Mariah Myers (2), Toryn Helle (2), Sophia Schlienz (2), Myrah Lemon (3). SB–SA: Jacey Johnston; SE: Sophia Schlienz, Jade Rock, Faith Shirbroun (3).