Geoff Withers is off to a strong start on the mound for the Civic Memorial Eagles baseball team.
The CM senior improved to 3-0 after pitching a complete-game, 4-1 victory in the first game of a doubleheader over the Southwestern Piasa Birds on Friday at the Bethalto Sports Complex.
The Eagles won the second game, 2-1, to complete the sweep and improve to 5-1. They will play at Collinsville at noon Monday.
Withers, who plans to play baseball at McKendree University next year, gave up one run on five hits, struck out 13 and walked just one. He has struck out 32 batters after three games.
Keaton Loewen had two hits and two RBIs and Bryce Zupan and Nick Walker each had two hits to lead the Eagles in the first game. Trailing 1-0, the Bethalto school came back with a run in the fourth, another run in the fifth and two more in the sixth.
In the nightcap, Caden Clark had two hits and two runs scored and Withers and Spencer Powell each had a hit and an RBI.
The Eagles scored a run in the first and another in the fourth.
Christian Stawar picked up the win on the mound, striking out five and giving up a run on eight hits. Powell relieved Stawar with two outs in the top of the seventh and picked up the save.
GIRLS TRACK
BELLEVILLE WEST INVITATIONAL – Alton's Katie Mans won another Belleville West Invitational high jump title on Friday.
The AHS senior placed first in the high jump in 5 feet, 4 inches, making it the second year in a row she came out on top in the event at the Belleville West meet. She also placed second in her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Mans helped the Redbirds finish fourth out of 17 teams with 71.3 points.
Also, Edwardsville placed fifth with 64 points and won three events. Lorie Cashdollar placed first in the 800 in 2:20.67, Melissa Spencer won the 1,600 in 5:24.25 and the 3,200-meter relay team of Katelyn Singh, Maddie Miller, Haley Allard and Elise Krone finished first in 10:10.83.
Granite City was 14th with 16 points and was led by Toni Rush with a second-place finish in the 100.
BOYS TRACK
O'FALLON RELAYS
Granite City placed sixth with 93 points in the gold division of the O'Fallon Relays on Friday.
The 12-team meet is split into two six-team divisions – blue and gold. Mascoutah won the blue title and O'Fallon placed first in the gold. The Warriors were the only area team competing in the meet.
Granite City's 1,600-meter sprint medley team of Darron Smith, Tyler Tindall, Justin Wiley and Andrew O'Keefe placed first in the gold division in 3:36.57.
BOYS TENNIS
EDWARDSVILLE SPRING INVITATIONAL
The Edwardsville Tigers earned a share of the tournament title on Saturday in the champions flight. Rain pushed the second day of the two-day event indoors at the Meyer Center of the Edwardsville YMCA. The Tigers defeated John Burroughs of St. Louis 8-1 in the semifinals to advance to the finals vs. St. Xavier of Kentucky. St. Xavier bested Normal University High 5-1 to get to the title match, but the tournament was then called as St. Xavier and EHS were co-champions.
Edwardsville defeated Springfield 9-0 and Downer's Grove South 8-1 on Friday in the tournament at the EHS Tennis Center. The Tigers are now 7-0 on the season.
The Alton Redbirds competed in the challengers flight and finished 1-2. The Birds lost 9-0 to Chatham Glenwood and 7-2 to the Hersey High JV team on Friday at AHS. On Saturday they bounced back to beat the Homewood Flossmoor JV squad 5-2 at Alton High before the tournament was cut short by rain.
The large tournament featured 42 total teams at 26 sites throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area.
BASEBALL
Rock Falls 10, Granite City 8
Granite City 16, Riverview Gardens 1
Edwardsville 12, Parkway South 4
Moline 4, Edwardsville 1
SOFTBALL
Marquette Catholic 8, Calhoun 1
Alton 23, East St. Louis 0
Triad 7, EA-WR 2
GIRLS SOCCER
EA-WR 6, Riverview Gardens 0