Eagles flying high at 14-1

The Columbia High School baseball team has won 11 straight games en route to a 13-1 start to the 2023 season. 

Can anyone stop the Columbia High School baseball team?

That’s the question many local coaches are asking of late.

The high-flying Eagles, who returned several players this spring from last year’s IHSA Class 2A third place state finish, are 14-1 following a flurry of more recent wins.

On Tuesday, Columbia won 6-1 at Wood River. Jack Steckler and Tyler Rosencrans collected three hits each for the Eagles.

Columbia won 8-4 over Marquette on Monday. Brennan Weik went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs. Steckler added two hits and Brady Mathews pitched five innings with eight strikeouts.

On Saturday, Columbia won 13-3 over Mater Dei and 4-3 over Belleville East.

Dominic Voegele went 2-for-4 with two runs, and Lucas Riebeling had a triple and three RBIs in the win over Mater Dei.

The Eagles plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh to edge Belleville East. Voegele and Reed Drabant collected two hits each.

On Thursday, Columbia won 5-0 over Freeburg. Drabant went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Alex Schreckenberg homered and Riebeling pitched a complete game two-hitter.

Last Wednesday, the Eagles blasted Wesclin to the tune of 11-1. Brody Landgraf, a freshman, went 3-for-3 with five RBIs. Voegele added a double and three runs, and Drake Wittenbrink doubled for three RBIs.

Chase Schrader pitched five solid innings for the win. 

Last Tuesday, Columbia won 19-9 at Roxana. Voegele went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Steckler, Rosencrans and Aidan Gaither added two hits and three RBIs each.

Drabant is hitting .579 with 17 RBIs and 15 runs, followed by Landgraf at .512 with 18 RBIs and 15 runs, and Voegele at .477 with four home runs, 14 stolen bases, 24 runs and 14 RBIs in addition to going 4-0 with an 0.88 ERA. 

Columbia plays Wednesday at O’Fallon and Friday vs. Belleville West at Busch Stadium before hosting Dupo on Monday. 

Waterloo (10-6) won 4-3 over Highland in a key Mississippi Valley Conference game Wednesday. Bryce Reese homered and AJ Sensel went 2-for-3 as Nate Phillips struck out 10 and allowed no earned runs in six innings pitched.

Waterloo posted a 14-4 win over Mt. Vernon at GCS Ballpark in Sauget on Tuesday. Curtis Crossen went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Reese, Jack Roessler and Sensel collected two hits apiece for the ‘Dogs.

Waterloo lost 4-3 at Highland on Monday as the host squad pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth. Reese went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Sensel went the distance on the hill for Waterloo. 

On Saturday, the Bulldogs won 6-1 at Marissa. Evan Davis went 2-for-4 with two runs and Chase Castello went 2-for-3. Nolan Veto allowed just two hits over five innings for the pitching victory.

On Friday, Davis went 2-for-2 and Koby Osterhage had a three-run double in an 11-7 win over Mater Dei. Roessler pitched five innings for the victory.

Last Wednesday, the ‘Dogs lost 6-1 at Triad. Sensel went 2-for-3 and Nate Phillips took the loss on the hill. 

Davis and Reese are both hitting .429 to lead the ‘Dogs on offense. Veto is 3-0 with an 0.78 ERA and Phillips is 2-1 with a 2.83 ERA.

Waterloo hosts Highland on Wednesday, battles Alton at Busch Stadium at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, plays Monday at Jerseyville and Tuesday at Collinsville. 

Gibault (8-8) won 9-7 at Trico on Tuesday. Hudson Blank went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Ty Frierdich went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Gibault lost 8-4 at Wesclin on Monday. The Warriors broke a 4-4 tie with four runs in the sixth inning as the Hawks were held to just one hit. 

On Saturday, Gibault won 12-1 at Okawville. Daniel Darin went 2-for-2 with a homer and two RBIs, and Ty Frierdich went 1-for-2 with three RBIs.

On Friday, the Hawks won 15-0 over Red Bud. Peyton Schaefer went 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs, and Tyler Frierdich went 3-for-3 with three RBIs.

Last Wednesday, Gibault won 8-3 over Sparta. Kameron Hanvey and Ty Frierdich each collected two hits, and Brady Biffar struck out 12 in six innings pitched.

Gibault travels to Kentucky for games Friday and Saturday before host Valmeyer on Monday. 

Darin is hitting .483 with 10 RBIs and 14 runs, followed by Hanvey at .429 with 19 runs and 12 stolen bases in addition to being 4-0 with a 3.67 ERA.

Valmeyer (6-8) picked up a 2-1 victory Tuesday over New Athens. Luke Blackwell, a freshman, drove in the game-winning run in the sixth inning and pitched a complete game five-hitter with five strikeouts.

Valmeyer lost 12-4 to the Patriots on Monday. Landon Roy went 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs for the Pirates.

On Friday, Valmeyer dropped a 15-7 game at Pinckneyville. Jake Coats went 2-for-3 with four RBIs.

On Thursday, the Pirates picked up a 14-2 win over Lebanon. Chase Snyder had a triple and three RBIs, and Blackwell went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Last Tuesday, Valmeyer pulled out a 6-5 win in eight innings over Dupo. Elijah Miller had two hits and picked up the pitching win in relief of Blackwell, who struck out nine over six innings. 

Valmeyer hosts Sparta on Thursday, plays Friday at Chester and at Gibault on Monday. 

Miller has 24 stolen bases and 13 runs scored in addition to being 3-3 with a 3.45 ERA this season. 

Dupo (1-10) dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker to Marissa on Tuesday and lost 9-1 to Wesclin on Wednesday.

The Tigers lost 14-6 to Steeleville on Thursday. Chance Hunter went 2-for-4 with a run for the Tigers, who host Wesclin on Wednesday. 

Deegan Prater, a freshman, is hitting .348 to lead Dupo this spring. 

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Corey Saathoff

Corey is the editor of the Republic-Times. He has worked at the newspaper since 2004, and currently resides in Columbia. He is also the principal singer-songwriter and plays guitar in St. Louis area country-rock band The Trophy Mules.
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