Four-Run First Powers Minooka Past Edwardsville In Normal

A huge day from Harris helped fuel Minooka’s offensive eruption in the sectional final at Normal.

Colin Feeney, Contributing Sports Writer

Jun 6, 2026 2:24 PM Jun 6, 2026 2:55 PM

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NORMAL - Edwardsville was limited to six hits on the day, while Minooka took charge right from the outset, scoring in every inning but the fifth, hitting the Tigers with four runs in the first, and six more in the sixth to win the IHSA Class 4A Normal Community sectional final 15-1 Saturday morning at the Corn Cob in Normal.

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The Indians move on to the super-sectional quarterfinal game at Normal Monday night, while the Tigers saw their season ended at 27-12.

Minooka got started off in the top of the first, starting with a lead-off walk to Ryan Keener, who went to second when Gavin McReynolds was hit by a pitch. Landon Currie doubled home Keener to put the Indians up 1-0, with McReynolds going to third, and one out later, Rhett Harris homered over the fence in left field, with McReynolds and Currie scoring ahead of him, giving Minooka a 4-0 lead when the inning ended.

The Indians extended their lead in the second, starting with a lead-off double by Tyler Ebel, who was replaced on the bases by courtesy runner Grayon Feeney. Feeney went to third on a groundout and scored when McReynolds reached on a sacrifice fly ball that was dropped for an error, extending Minooka's lead to 5-0. Edwardsville got the run back in the home half of the second, starting with a lead-off hit by Nick Chiarodo, who scored one out later on a double down the left field line by Nolan Vojak to cut the lead to 5-1.

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Minooka got the run back --- and more --- at the top of the third, starting when Joey Ruiz reached on an error to start the inning, was sacrificed to second, and another out later, Ebel singled him home to make the score 6-1. Keener tripled home Feeney to increase the lead to 7-1 before the inning ended.

In the top of the fourth, Brady Kozlowski opened with a base hit, and Harris hit a two-run homer over the fence in left field, Kozlowski also scoring, to extend the Indians' lead to 9-1. In the sixth, Kozlowski hit a one-out solo homer over the fence in right to extend the lead to 10-1, after which back-to-back singles by Harris and Ruiz, along with a walk to Jason Duy, loaded the bases, and Howie Porath singled home Harris, making the score 11-1, with the bases still loaded. Ebel singled home Ruiz to make it 12-1, but Duy was thrown out at third for the second out. Keener then tripled home two runs, and McReynolds singled home the final run to make the score 15-1.

The Tigers were retired in the sixth to end the game in favor of the Indians 15-1, due to the 10-run rule.

Vojak had a hit and the only RBI for the Tigers, while Jack Kirgan, Joel Fields, Chiarodo, Mace Karnes, and Sutton Leas had the other Edwardsville hits. Miller Dunnill started on the mound and was charged with the loss, pitching one inning, and allowing four earned runs on two hits, walking two, and striking out one. Chiarodo pitched 2.2 innings, giving up five earned runs on five hits, walking one, and fanning one. Chase Milburn went for 1.2 innings, allowing three unearned runs on three hits, walking one, and striking out none, and Andrew McKey threw in the final 0.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits, walking none, and fanning one.

The Tigers end their season at 27-12, while the Indians are now 32-6, and advance to the Normal super-sectional quarterfinal game against Naperville Central, which won the Lockport Township sectional 3-1 over Downers Grove North, on Monday night at 6 p.m. The winner goes to the state semifinals June 12-13 at Slammers Stadium in Joliet, and plays in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. June 12 against either Roselle Lake Park, Park Ridge Maine South, or Barrington. The third-place game takes place at 4 p.m. Saturday, while the state final is at 7 p.m.