Steelville High School’s fall baseball season is now underway as of  Sept. 16 when the Viburnum Blue Jays came to town. The Cardinals’ scheduled season opener Sept. 9 was canceled due to extreme heat in the area.

During last week’s game, the team played through patches of rain. The Cardinals used a nine run second inning to blow the game open, eventually routing its Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) opponent 15-0 in four innings to earn its first victory.

Steelville finished with 17 base hits and every Cardinal recorded at least one. Chace Grayson went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three runs batted in and three runs scored and Caden Collinson singled three times, stole three bases, and scored three times to lead the way.

Freshmen Jaxon Brooks and Bentley McGinnis each had two base hits and multiple runs batted in during their high school debuts, Cameron and Carter Wallis each added two base hits, two runs scored and one run batted in, Ripken Halbert doubled, drove in two runs and scored, Carter Grandstaff singled, scored twice and drove in two runs and Evan Midyett singled and scored to round out Steelville’s offensive production.

While the Cardinals’ offense provided plenty of breathing room, its pitchers needed little run support in a commanding effort. Grandstaff and Grayson combined for four no-hit innings of work on 59 total pitches. Grandstaff dominated on the mound in three innings of action, striking out six batters in an efficient 36 pitches without allowing a base runner. Grayson pitched the fourth and final inning, leaving a pair of base runners who reached by walk stranded by striking out the side.

The Cardinals have just three scheduled games left in its shortened fall schedule. Steelville will play Sept. 22 in Bismarck, host Plato Sept. 24 and wrap up its fall slate Sept. 29 in Bourbon.