Five Players Have Two Hits, Gierer Strikes Out Eight, Allows One Hit, Hits Home Run As Griffins Win 12th Straight Over Gibault

GLEN CARBON - In their first game back from taking the championship in the USA High School Invitational tournament in Millington, Tenn., Father McGivney Catholic's baseball team kept the momentum going, with five players, including winning pitcher Daniel Gierer, collecting two hits each, while Gierer helped himself at the plate with a homer and struck out eight in four innings on the mounds as McGivney took an 11-0, six-inning win over Waterloo Gibault Catholic Tuesday afternoon at Griffins Field.

The win was the Griffins' 12th straight to open the season and the goal was to keep the momentum going from winning the tournament.

"Today was a great day," said McGivney head coach Chris Erwin. "It was important to get off the bus from the Memphis trip and play well. And we did play very well today."

As has been the case so far, every player up and down the lineup made contributions and against the Hawks, McGivney pounded out 13 hits and two homers, one from Gierer and the other from Gabe Smith. Gierer also had one of his best performances on the mound as well.

"We're getting contributions up and down the lineup," Erwin said. "We had five guys with two or more hits today and Daniel Gierer pitched well on the mound."

An early exit from the IHSA Class 2A playoffs last season, after having advanced to the Class 1A final in 2021, has sparked and motivated the Griffins' players exceptionally well in their start to 2023.

"I really think that losing early in the playoffs really motivated the guys this year," Erwin said. "They're having a blast. That's one thing our team really does well is that they really enjoy the game and have fun playing it, too."

McGivney jumped out to the early lead, scoring three in the first, two in the second and four more in the third to take a 9-0 lead, not allowing Gibault to get untracked, then finished the game with two runs in the sixth to take the 11-0 win.

Gierer had two hits and four RBIs, including his homer, for the Griffins, while Smith also had two hits, including his own home run, and drove in three runs, Kannon Kamp had two hits and drove home a pair of runs, both Nick Franklin and Jackson Rodgers had two hits each, Nathan Terhaar came up with a hit and RBI and both Jacob McKee and Justin Terhaar both had hits.

Gierer threw four innings on the mound, allowing only the one Hawk hit while fanning eight and Issac Wendler finished up, not allowing a hit in two innings of work, walking three and striking out two.

Gibault is now 3-6, while the Griffins are now 12-0 and continues its home stand on Wednesday against Staunton, then hosts Piasa Southwestern next Monday and plays a home-and-home Gateway Metro Conference set against Bunker Hill, playing at Griffins Field Apr. 11 and at the Minutemen's park Apr. 13, with all games set to start at 4:30 p.m. The Griffins have built quite a bit of momentum thus far and Erwin feels his club can keep it going.

"We want to continue getting better," Erwin said, "and do the things that we've been doing since the start of the season. That's the plan."

Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.

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