Despite some close losses recently to tough teams, the Columbia High School softball squad is sitting pretty at 14-5 on the season entering the final stretch of the regular season. 

On Wednesday, the Eagles won 5-2 at home over Roxana. Jaylyn Brister and Kaitlyn Bearley collected two hits apiece.

On Saturday, the Eagles broke out the bats in Centralia, winning a pair of games. Columbia won 14-0 over Centralia and 16-1 over Collinsville. In the win over Centralia, Brister homered and drove in three runs, Karsen Jany went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and Emilie Culli added a hit and four RBIs. In the win over Collinsville, Brister, Jany and Julia Foster each collected three hits. 

On Thursday, Columbia dropped a 5-4 heartbreaker in nine innings to Breese Central. Meredith Riedel and Elle van Breusegen contributed two hits apiece.

Last Wednesday, van Breusegen again had two hits as the Eagles lost 5-1 to Edwardsville. 

Last Tuesday, Columbia won 6-2 over Salem. Sam Augustine homered and pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts. 

The Eagles play Tuesday at Breese Central. 

Brister leads Columbia this season with a .477 average and .541 on base percentage to go along with four home runs and 17 RBIs.

Jany is hitting .452 with three homers, 24 RBIs and 25 runs. 

Kaitlyn Bearley is hitting .429 with 21 RBIs and 22 runs. 

Augustine is 6-2 in the pitching circle with a 1.30 ERA.

Waterloo (12-8) had its undefeated record in Mississippi Valley Conference play tarnished with a 3-1 loss to Triad last Wednesday. Lilly Heck had two hits and Mia Miller struck out seven in a complete game for the Bulldogs.

Waterloo lost to Highland, 6-3, on Wednesday, despite home runs by Maddie Davis, Raelynn Melching and Miller.

Waterloo plays Monday at Mascoutah and Tuesday at Waltonville.

Maddie Davis is hitting .438 with a .532 on base percentage and four home runs to lead the ‘Dogs, followed by Miller at .415. Miller is also 9-5 with a 2.24 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 90 and two-thirds innings pitched.

Valmeyer (6-4) won two of four recent contests. 

On Wednesday, Valmeyer lost 5-4 to Wesclin.

On Friday, the Pirates won 10-0 at home over Gibault. Brooke Miller went 2-for-3 with a home run and Peyton Similey added two triples and two RBIs. Mia McSchooler collected the pitching win. 

Last Thursday, Valmeyer won 12-9 over Steeleville. Markee Voelker went 4-for-4 with three stolen bases and two RBIs. Miller went 3-for-3 with four runs and Similey went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Last Tuesday, Valmeyer lost 15-0 to Marissa as the Pirates were held to just four hits.

Miller is hitting .630 with five home runs and 14 runs to lead the Valmeyer offense, and also has a 2.47 ERA in the pitching circle. 

Voelker is hitting .481 and Similey is hitting .400 with 11 RBIs. Kylie Eschmann also has 11 RBIs.

Valmeyer competes in a tournament in Marissa this weekend. 

Gibault (5-9) won two of four recent contests.

On Wednesday, Gibault lost 15-6 to Mater Dei despite Emma Schmidt hitting two home runs and driving in all six runs.

On Monday, the Hawks posted a 19-0 win over East St. Louis. Libby Mesch, Emma Steibel and Sarah Steibel collected three hits each for the victors.

Prior to Friday’s 10-0 loss at Valmeyer, the Hawks picked up a 3-0 win at home over Father McGivney on Thursday. Schmidt and Sarah Steibel had two hits each and Rylee Nagel struck out 15 while allowing just two hits in a complete game pitching effort. 

Gibault hosts Cahokia on Monday and plays Tuesday at Dupo. 

Schmidt is hitting .571 with a .674 on base percentage to pace the Hawks. She has five homers and 19 RBIs. 

Mesch is hitting .405 with 10 RBIs.

Dupo (2-9) lost 10-0 at New Athens on Thursday, as the Tigers were held to just four hits.

Last Tuesday, Dupo dropped an 8-6 contest to Lebanon. Steffany Stansch went 3-for-4 and Kyann Prater went 2-for-4.

Prater leads the Tigers in hitting at .419, followed by Stansch at .414.

Dupo also plays this weekend in the Marissa tourney.