Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Kinnick Henning of St. Edmond slides under the tag of Eagle Grove’s Gavin Pedersen on Thursday at Rogers Park. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

The St. Edmond baseball team put together its best offensive performance this year Thursday night at Rogers Park.

Eight of the nine Gael batters recorded at least one hit, with the ninth getting on base three times in a 16-6 victory in six innings over Eagle Grove.

Leading the way was Ethan Swisher, as the junior drove in three on an inside-the-park homer as part of a six-run fourth.

“We’ve seen what we are capable of in practice, but this was the first time we’ve done it when it mattered,” SEHS head coach Mike Szalat said. “You could see glimpses of it coming together, but I’m so happy and proud of these kids for sticking with it.

“Hopefully we can grow from this, come out Friday with a good practice and build towards the stretch run.”

Grant Galles continued his strong play at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, two steals, a run scored and a walk for St. Edmond (2-14 overall). Blake Bartlett had two doubles, scored twice and drove in another run.

Jack McElroy had two hits with three runs scored and two steals, and Kade Schlegel drove in three.

The Gaels put up three runs in the first, six in the fourth, four in the fifth and finished it off with three in the sixth on a two-RBI single by Galles.

“I had some really good high school coaches, and they always said if you can avoid giving up the big innings, you are going to have success at any level of the game,” Szalat said. “We gave up three (in the fifth) but we were able to have our own big innings.”

McElroy got the start, going four-plus with a pair of strikeouts before Schlegel came in and recorded three flyouts and three groundball outs to end it.

“Jack hasn’t pitched in a long time so I thought he did a nice job of shaking off the rust,” Szalat said. “Kade came in and worked quickly.

“I thought our defense did a good job behind them both of making plays.”

Julian Blanco added a triple, while No. 9 hitter Koleman Hanson reached twice after being hit by pitches and a third time on a walk. Hanson scored three runs.

For the Eagles (3-11), Trenton Robinson had an RBI-double and Jesus Baez drove in a pair.

Prior to the start of the contest, Szalat presented Eagle Grove head coach and Fort Dodge Senior High graduate Jordan Miller with a special shirt in remembrance of Miller’s brother, Aaron, who passed away earlier this year. The Gaels wore the red shirts with “GAELS” on the front and “AMILL” on the back above the No. 51 — Miller’s old jersey number.

“(Honoring) Aaron is the right thing to do,” Szalat said. “Aaron and I would meet at Casey’s about once a week and he bought my drink and I would return the favor, and that kept going through the years. Jordan is a really good friend of mine, and one of the baseball guys I go to with questions when I have them.

“He’s just a good man like Aaron. I wanted to make sure we did something for them.”

St. Edmond is now off until Monday when it hosts Hampton-Dumont/CAL in a North Central Conference doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. Eagle Grove heads to Belmond-Klemme Friday for Top of Iowa Conference play.

ST. EDMOND 16, EAGLE GROVE 6 (6 inn.)

Eagle Grove 120 030 — 6 6 1

St. Edmond 300 643 — 16 12 3

WP–Jack McElroy (1-2, 4+ IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 K, 2 BB). LP–Brett Ascherl (0-5, 3+ IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 K, 3 BB).

HR–SE: Ethan Swisher. 3B–SE: Julian Blanco. 2B–EG: Trenton Robinson; SE: Blake Bartlett (2). RBI–EG: Jesus Baez (2), Jackson Babcock, Trenton Robinson; SE: Kinnick Henning, Ethan Swisher (3), Grant Galles (2), Kade Schlegel (3), Maddox Shirbroun, Julian Blanco, Blake Bartlett. SB–EG: Jaxon Morris; SE: Kinnick Henning, Ethan Swisher, Grant Galles (2), Garrett Royster, Jack McElroy (2).