ALTON - Edwardsville pitcher Joe Chiarodo had his team's only two hits on the day, and struck out 11 batters in six innings of work on the mound as the Tigers took a crucial 3-0 win over Alton in a Southwestern Conference baseball game played Wednesday at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Gordon Moore Park.
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The game was originally set for Redbirds Field, but was moved to the all-turf field at Gordon Moore Park when the grass field at Alton High was still unplayable, due to the thunderstorms that passed through the area on Tuesday, causing the game to be postponed to the following day.
The Tigers broke out on top in the second, starting with Greyson Rathgeb drawing a walk, went to second on a balk, went to third when Max Waltenberger reached on an error, and then scored on a Bryce Beyers ground out to second, putting Edwardsville up 1-0, with Waltenberger going to second.
In the top of the third, Kolton Wright led off with a walk, but was caught stealing second for the first out. Chiarodo then doubled down the left field line, Courtesy runner Danny Story went to third when a pickoff throw went into center field, and scored on a wild pitch to double the Tiger lead to 2-0.
Edwardsville got their final run in the sixth, starting with a lead-off double by Chiarodo, with Story going to third on a groundout by Lucas Krebs, and coming in to score when Lucas Huebner grounded to third, allowing Story to score and make it 3-0.
Chiarodo was brilliant on the mound, fanning 11 and allowing only one hit, to Will Weirich, in his 6.2 innings on the mound. Ethan Stewart got the final out to preserve the Tiger 3-0 win.
Reid Murray went six innings on the mound for the Redbirds, allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits, walking none and striking out seven. Logan Hickman pitched he seventh, fanning two.
The Tigers are now 13-6, while Alton goes to 14-9. The two teams play each other again on Thursday to Tom Pile Field in Edwardsville, then the Redbirds host Father McGivney Catholic in a very rare Sunday game at 1 p.m., play at Waterloo Gibault Catholic Monday, then host Collinsville next Tuesday, both games starting at 4:30 p.m.
After Thursday, the Tigers play their annual game at Busch Stadium against Parkway West of west St. Louis County, a game set to begin at 5 p.m., then play a two-game set against Belleville West, the first game at West on Tuesday, then the return game May 2 at Tom Pile Field, both games starting at 4:30 p.m.Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
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