Tigers' Chiarodo Retires First 16 Batters, Throws Two-Hit 7-0 Shutout In Win Over Lancers

EDWARDSVILLE – Senior pitcher Joe Chiarodo threw a masterful game on Tuesday, evening, May 13, 2025, retiring the first 16 batters he faced before allowing an one-out single to Gabe Kashyoke ending up with a two-hit shutout, striking out eight, including five in a row, and also coming up with a pair of hits in Edwardsville’s 7-0 Southwestern Conference win over Belleville East at Tom Pile Field.

It was also an important win for the Tigers, as they went to 6-1 in the conference race, with the Lancers slipping to 7-2, leading on percentage points, also having two games in hand on East.

Edwardsville was hitting on all cylinders, both offensively and defensively as well, putting up five runs in the bottom of the first to take control.

“I thought that Joe had an impressive performance on the mound, (against) a team that’s been hitting the ball well the whole season," Edwardsville head boys baseball coach Tim Funkhouser said. "He was able to make pitches, I loved how he was able to control his tempo, expand the game, and just work on some other things himself.

"He was able to be composed, make the pitch under composure. Offensively, we took great at-bats, particularly in that first inning. We just made it tough on their pitcher, and put together some swings, and then added to it later in the game as well.”

The Tigers were able to execute their offense exceptionally well throughout the game.

“I think our guys were kind of really locked in at the plate,” Funkhouser said, “getting good pitches to hit, and being patient within other ones. I thought over the weekend, there were different times where we just didn’t take our at-bats that we wanted, and I thought our guys did a really good job of locking in.

"They lock in at practice each day, and they do a good job in the games. But it was good to see it come to fruition in the game against Belleville East.”

The win is a good start for the Tigers to make a final push towards the Southwestern Conference title before the postseason begins.

“It is a good start for us,” Funkhouser said, “and that was a big game. But there’s more to do, and that will be in practice tomorrow and again on Thursday. But we’ll cherish this victory tonight, and then, be ready back for competition on Thursday. It’s one game at a time, but it was good for us today.”

Chiarodo kept the Lancer hitters off-balance all throughout the game and showed why he is one of the conference's best players in the win over the Lancers.

“He’s been one of the best players in our conference for three years now, Joe has,” said East head coach Ryan Wiggs, “and he pitched really well today. We didn’t really compete as well as I would have liked at the plate, but, obviously, give some credit to him. He’s a really good pitcher.”

The Tigers went ahead in the first when, with one out Lucas Krebs and Chiarodo had back-to-back singles, Mas Waltenberger drew a walk to load the bases, and a sacrifice fly to center hit by Tyler Powell scored Krebs to make it 1-0. Auggie Johnes and Grayson Rathgeb then singled home two more runs, and Hunter Baugh delivered a two-run single to make it 5-0 for the Tigers.

Baugh was thrown out trying to steal third to end the inning, which led to an amusing sight when the base umpire slipped on a wet spot in the infield grass and fell down before making his out call.

In the third, Powell hit a solo homer over the fence in left-center to make it 6-0, and in the sixth, Rathgeb delivered an RBI double to the fence in left-center that scored Powell to make the score 7-0.

The story was on the mound, where Chiarodo retired the first 16 batters, getting a diving catch by Rathgeb in the first on a ball hit by Tommy Kramkowski, and also striking out seven during this time, including five in a row during the fourth and fifth. In the sixth, with one out, Kashyoke hit a sharp grounder up the middle that deflected off the second base bag and into the outfield to break up the perfect game, which was followed up by a base hit by Jalen Jones, with Kashyoke going to third after advancing to second on a wild pitch.

Chiarodo kept his cool and got Reid Newmayer to bounce back to the box for a double play, and retired the side in order in the seventh to record the 7-0 win.

Rathgeb had two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers on the day, while Chiarodo also had two hits, Baugh and Powell had a hit and two RBIs each, Johnes came up with a hit and RBI, and Krebs, Waltenberger, and Logan Porter each had a hit. Chiarodo went all the way on the mound, allowing the two hits, while walking none and striking out eight.

Kashyoke and Jones had the only hits of the day for the Lancers, while Logan Faust started on the mound, and was charged with the loss, giving up six runs, all earned, on seven hits, walking three and striking out one. Seth Guthre pitched two innings, allowing an earned run on two hits, walking none and striking out none, and Luke Monroe pitched in the sixth, giving up a hit, while fanning one.

Edwardsville goes to 18-9, and meets the Lancers again on Thursday at East, then stays on the road on Friday at Jersey, and plays at O’Fallon next Tuesday, and at East St. Louis next Wednesday, all games starting at 4:30 p.m.

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