Mike Szalat talked to his St. Edmond baseball team about accountability recently.

On Monday against Hampton-Dumont, the Gaels responded — and Szalat practiced what he preached to his team.

In the opener against the Bulldogs, St. Edmond got into a bind on the mound as eighth-grader Blake Bartlett reached his pitch limit and had to come out. Szalat felt he didn’t have his pitcher ready to go.

“I put Kade Schlegel in a tough situation coming in in the seventh inning, and I felt I didn’t give him enough time to get ready. That’s on me,” Szalat said. “Accountability isn’t just for the players.”

The Gaels (2-16 overall) dropped the opener, 8-5, and the nightcap, 8-1.

In the opener, the NCC rivals were tied at 5 heading into the seventh. The Bulldogs plated three in the top half of the frame to seal the win.

Bartlett went six-plus innings, striking out seven and walking two.

Designated hitter Julian Blanco had a big effort for the Gaels, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI. Bartlett had two hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs.

Jack McElroy also had two hits.

“We came out and played well,” Szalat said. “I loved our effort in that game.”

Dawson Wikert was 3-for-3 for the Bulldogs, while Blaek Burmester and Taylor Mahler had two hits each.

In the second contest, the Gaels weren’t able to string much together after plating a run in the first inning. Grant Galles reached on a hit and Schlegel drove him in with a double.

Kinnick Henning, Maddox Shirbroun, Jack McElroy and Koleman Hanson added hits.

Galles went four innings, giving up six hits and only one earned run. He walked two and struck out five.

“Grant was throwing well and his curveball was nasty,” Szalat said. “I thought Jack came in for relief and threw with great velocity.”

For the Bulldogs Wikert had three more hits, finishing the night 6-for-6.

The Gaels are back in action on Tuesday at Rogers Park against Pocahontas Area. First varsity pitch is set for 7:30 p.m.

HAMPTON-DUMONT-CAL 8,

ST. EDMOND 5

HD-C 011 030 3 — 8 10 1

St. Edmond 010 220 0 — 5 13 2

WP–Jaxon Moats (7 IP, 13 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO); 2B–HDC: Blaek Burmester, Dawson Wikert; SE: Julian Blanco (2); 3B–HDC: Taylor Mahler; SE: Blake Bartlett; SB–HDC: Burmester, Hunter Rieken, Mahler, Peters: Multiple hits–HDC: Wikert (3), Mahler (2), Burmester (2); RBI–HDC: Rieken (2), William Vosberg, Mahler, Wikert, Jaymes Stevens; SE: Blanco (3), Jack McElroy (2).

HAMPTON-DUMONT-CAL 8,

ST. EDMOND 1

St. Edmond 100 000 0 — 1 6 4

HD-C 002 303 x — 8 9 4

WP–Brody Robertson (7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 SO); 2B–SE: Kade Schlegel; 3B–HDC: Dawson Wikert. SB–HDC: Garrett Royster, William Vosberg, Taylor Mahler (2), Carson Helmke, Brody Robertson; Multiple hits–HDC: Wikert (3), Brody Peters (2); RBI–SE: Schlegel; HDC: Vosberg (2), Mahler (2), Baek Burmester.