The high school baseball season is now underway, with local teams pitching, hitting, fielding and running with goals of success come June.

Waterloo (4-1) is looking solid at the start of spring under new head coach Garrett Schlecht. 

On Monday, the Bulldogs won 11-1 over Red Bud. Cannon Richard went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs, with Trey Conrod going 3-for-3 as Waterloo pitchers allowed just two hits.

On Friday, Waterloo hosted rival Columbia and pulled out a 1-0 win. Carter Jones and Chase Zimmerman combined for a two-hit shutout on the mound for the Bulldogs. Austin Martin went 1-for-3 with the game’s only RBI.

Last Tuesday, it was a 7-4 win for the Bulldogs at home over O’Fallon. A five-run fifth inning put the host squad in charge. Martin went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Caleb Papenberg went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Waterloo split a doubleheader in Murphysboro on March 21 to open its season, losing to Monticello before blasting Murphysboro.

Martin is hitting .556 with a .636 on base percentage and seven RBIs to start the season. Conrad Lindhorst is hitting .385 with six runs. Drake Luedeman is hitting .357 with seven RBIs.

Waterloo plays Wednesday at Trico and Saturday against Salem and Marion in Salem. On Monday, the Bulldogs play at Freeburg.

After winning 3-1 over St. Joseph-Ogden to open its season on March 18, Columbia (1-3) has lost three straight.

Columbia lost 4-3 to Teutopolis on March 20, 8-6 to Harrisburg on March 21, and 1-0 at Waterloo on Friday.

Connor Basinski has been a bright spot for the Eagles in the early going, hitting .333 with a homer and four RBIs in addition to going 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA in nine innings pitched with 10 strikeouts.

Columbia faced Appleton North (Wisc.) on Tuesday, hosts Piasa Southwestern on Wednesday, and then plays Monday at Gibault.

Gibault (5-3) has won four straight following a 1-3 start this spring. 

On Monday, the Hawks won 9-5 in nine innings at Belleville West. Gus Schmidt went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and threw three scoreless innings. Steven Schaefer went 3-for-5 with three RBIs as Gibault had 17 hits as a team.

On Saturday, Gibault won 9-4 over St. Pius X as lefty Dante Gianino struck out six over four innings. Kole Schilling and Carson Timmons collected two hits each.

Last Wednesday, the Hawks won 11-0 at Cahokia as Robert Pierpoint went 2-for-4 with two runs and Hawks pitching allowed just one hit.

Last Monday, it was a 7-0 victory for Gibault over New Athens thanks to a complete game no-hitter by Timmons with 13 strikeouts and three walks. Schmidt had two hits and two runs.  

Schmidt, a junior, is hitting .478 with six stolen bases, seven RBIs and eight runs to start the season for Gibault. 

Schilling is hitting .375 with 10 runs, and Timmons has a 1.40 ERA with 21 strikeouts over 15 innings pitched.

Gibault hosted Okawville on Tuesday, hosts Chester on Wednesday, hosts Mascoutah for a Saturday doubleheader, and then hosts Columbia on Monday.

Valmeyer (5-3) dropped a 15-4 contest to Valle Catholic on Monday despite a 2-for-2 day at the plate from Gavin Rau.  The Pirates made six errors in the game.

On Friday, Valmeyer posted a 5-2 victory over Trico as Parker Brandt went 1-for-1 with a walk, sacrifice and four RBIs. Tallen Jakimauskas allowed just one earned run over five innings pitched.

Last Wednesday, the Pirates won 6-4 at Okawville. Ripken Voelker went 3-for-3 with two stolen bases and a pair of runs scored. Brandt went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Valmeyer pitchers Luke Blackwell, Jakimauskas and Rau combined for 15 strikeouts.

Last Tuesday, Valmeyer won 14-4 over Cahokia as both Blackwell and Logan Blanchard collected two hits apiece.

Last Monday, Valmeyer won 14-4 over Wood River. Blackwell smacked a double and drove in four runs. Blanchard and Evan Hill had two hits each. 

Brandt is on fire at the plate to start 2026, hitting .467 with seven RBIs. Voelker is hitting .353, with Blackwell hitting .350 with seven RBIs and 13 runs scored.

Valmeyer hosts Belleville East on Wednesday and plays Thursday at Sparta.

Dupo (0-3) opened its season with an 18-9 loss March 19 at Bunker Hill. 

That was followed by an 11-1 loss at Staunton last Wednesday and a 20-1 loss to Sparta on Thursday. 

Shane Wells is 7-for-9 at the plate for the Tigers in the early going, with Talon Simshauser hitting .375 with three runs scored.

Dupo plays Thursday at Okawville.