GODFREY – A month earlier, Alton shut down Edwardsville in a Redbird win over the Tigers at Edwardsville's Tom Pile Field.

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Things were much different Thursday afternoon at Redbird Field.

Jacob St. Peters was on the mound again, but Edwardsville's hitting made it a much more difficult day for the Redbird ace as the Tigers got homers from Jake Garella and Tyler Stamer in a 7-2 Southwestern Conference win over Alton.

The win put the Tigers at 21-4 overall on the year, 9-2 in the SWC, a half-game behind 9-1 O'Fallon; the Redbirds fell to 19-8 overall, 6-4 in the league.

“I thought Andrew Frank did a great job on the mound (Frank got the ball and went six-plus innings for the Tigers, getting the win),” said Tiger coach Tim Funkhouser. “He made a lot of pitches and he's got good stuff; He was very consistent; that's what he's been seeking and was able to display that in a big in a big conference game. I'm really proud of the way he competed.

“We stayed one (game) back on the loss side (of the SWC race) of O'Fallon and we just keep trying to put ourselves in the best position for the postseason and that last week of the year.”

St. Peters struggled Thursday hitting his spots on Tiger batters, Redbird coach Todd Haug felt. “He did not hit his spots like he did in the first game,” Haug said. “There was a hit batsman there and maybe a few borderline calls that didn't go our way early as well; he wasn't quite as sharp and it is what it is. These are teenage boys; we're asking a lot out of them and it doesn't always go your way.

“We'll keep trying to do the correct fundamentals and we'll come back on Saturday (when Alton hosts Lindbergh in a doubleheader).”

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St. Peters found himself in a jam right away, opening the game by issuing a walk to Cade Burns before giving up a two-out single to Collin Clayton and hitting Stamer to load the bases before he got Cole Hansel to foul out to third to end the threat. In the third, however, Edwardsville got to St. Peters when Garella lifted a solo homer to left-center before Clayton got to second on a single and error. Stamer walked to put two runners on before Hansel singled in Clayton to give EHS a 2-0 lead.

Frank ran into some trouble himself in the second, walking Aaron Bonnell and giving up a one-out single to Steven Ngyuen before walking Steven Patten to load the bases; Frank got Seth Boschert to ground into an inning-ending double play to end the threat and went from there, retiring the Redbirds in order in the third and fourth.

Edwardsville's offense really got going in the third, Andrew Yancik leading off with a walk and Joel Quirin singling before Burns sacrificed both over to second and third. Charlie Erler then replaced St. Peters, but Cimarolli lifted Erler's first offering to dead-center, where Mike Hampton caught it; Yancik scored on the sacrifice fly and Quirin moved to third to up the Tiger lead to 3-0.

Erler then uncorked a wild pitch to allow Quirin to score before walking Garella and Clayton to bring up Stamer, who connected on a pitch and sent it over the wall in right for a three-run shot to put Edwardsville ahead 7-0. Erler settled down and retired the next seven batters he faced, but the damage had been done. Devin Colley pitched in the seventh for Alton and retired the three batters he faced in order.

The Redbirds finally got to Tiger pitching in the bottom of the seventh, Patten reaching on an error and John Witt drawing a walk before Frank was lifted in favor of Jordan Yenne, who gave up two runs on a groundout and a sacrifice fly but retired the side for the win.

Garella went 2-for-4 with a homer and double, RBI and two runs scored on the day; Clayton was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Stamer 1-for-2 with the three-run homer, three RBIs and run scored, Cole Hansel 1-for-4, Yancik had a run scored and Quirin 1-for-2 with a run scored.

Rob Taul had a RBI for the Redbirds, Ngyuen was 2-for-3, Patten had a run scored, Allen 1-for-2, and Mike Hampton had a RBI.

Frank did not give up an earned run and just three hits for the Tigers while striking out four; Yenne fanned one for EHS. St. Peters conceded four earned runs on five hits while fanning two, with Erler giving up three earned runs on two hits while dismissing two by strikeout and Colley finished up for the Redbirds.

Edwardsville hosts their Tiger Classic tournament this weekend, taking on Lockport Township of the Chicago area at 7 tonight, then Chatham Glenwood at 11 a.m. and Highland at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

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