EDWARDSVILLE - Edwardsville's boys' baseball team rolled to three wins in the opening Illinois Prep Baseball Report Kickoff Showcase against some top-notch statewide teams.
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Tyler Powell threw three shutouts and hitless innings to get started, while Max Waltenberger had two hits and three RBIs to help lead Edwardsville to a 9-5 win over Joliet West in the Tigers' final game of the Illinois Prep Baseball Report Kickoff showcase Saturday morning, March 22, 2025, at Tom Pile Field.
The Tigers swept their three games in the showcase, winning over Normal Community 11-0, and Joliet Catholic Academy 5-4, and start the season off 3-0.
Edwardsville scored the first eight runs of the game, putting up four in the first, and two each in the second and fourth to go ahead 8-0, before West came back to score three in the home half of the fourth, to cut the lead down to 8-3. Edwardsville got one of the runs back in the top of the fifth, but West scored single runs in the sixth and seventh to create the final score of 9-5.
Besides Waltenberger's day at the plate, Edwardsville got two hits and an RBI from Joe Chiarodo, and Mace Karnes also had a hit and RBI. Powell struck out seven in his three innings of work, while Eric Herman pitched one inning of shutout baseball, and Gavin Ipanis struck out two in a two-inning stint on the mound.
Joliet West is now 1-2, following a 10-7 win over Rochester later in the day, while Edwardsville is 3-0, and host DeSmet Jesuit on Tuesday, then go on the road for the first time this season, playing at Granite City on Wednesday, both games starting at 4:30 p.m., then go to Weldon Spring, Mo.m to meet Francis Howell on Mar. 28 in a 4:15 first pitch.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
