Baugh Pitches 5.2 Brilliant Innings: Edwardsville Claims SWC Baseball Title With 7-0 Victory

EDWARDSVILLE – Hunter Baugh pitched a magnificent game on Thursday, May 22, 2025, scattering five hits and striking out three in 5.2 innings of work while Lucas Krebs had three hits and Tyler Powell drove in four runs as Edwardsville won the Southwestern Conference baseball championship with a 7-0 win over O’Fallon at Tom Pile Field.

The Tigers won three of four conference games on the week, losing to the Panthers 3-2 in eight innings on Tuesday, but swept a doubleheader over East St. Louis on Wednesday, and defeated O’Fallon on Thursday to win the conference title.

“I’m very proud of our guys,” said Edwardsville coach Tim Funkhouser after the game. “Hunter Baugh pitched a great game, we got contributions from various guys in the lineup, and just a really good team game.

"It kind of signifies what we’ve been, in the conference, and really, in the season. A lot of different guys doing different things during the course of a game to make things happen. I’m really impressed with the way our guys go about their business, and it feels good that they’ve been rewarded with the Southwestern Conference championship.”

The Panthers had three different times where they loaded the bases, but every time, Baugh, Gavin Ipanis, and Dax Dunnill got out of the innings without any runs scored.

“That one inning turned pretty quick,” Funkhouser said, “with Hunter out there, where we had a couple of miscues, and just didn’t make some plays. Tougher plays, but we just didn’t make the plays, and a hit by pitch, and he was able to pitch out of that.

"Gavin’s stuff is really good on the mound, and it was fun to see Dax go out there, and close it out, make a pitch to end the game there. Hunter’s been throwing up zeros, making pitches, and it was good to see our other guys get out there, compete, and do well.”

There are still more regular-season games coming up for the Tigers this weekend before Edwardsville meets Granite City in the regional semifinal at Belleville West, and Funkhouser is feeling good about his team.

“Tomorrow, we can bounce back against Triad,” Funkhouser said, “kind of celebrate this win for the conference, and move on to getting better tomorrow in pregame, and then, go over to Triad and face the Knights. That should help us to continue to prepare.

"I’m sure that they’re probably thinking the same thing for the postseason. Then Senior Day against Saturday against Springfield. Then on Monday, we actually do play at 10 a.m. against Waterloo. So, we’ve got a full agenda; I think this time of year, guys like playing games. We’ve been practicing, and we still get prework, and we can make adjustments, even before games. So, we’re in a good position, and it’s going to be fun seeing our guys be right back in the arena tomorrow, competing. But we’re going to appreciate today’s victory.”

The Panthers did have opportunities to break through and make the game closer, but Edwardsville was able to pull things out at the right time to keep O’Fallon at bay.

After Baugh struck out Brayden Robetson to start the game, Connor Blue got a base hit to left, but was forced at second, and Anthony Perez was thrown out at second trying to steal. The Tigers went to work in the bottom of the inning, as Baugh walked, stole second, and Lucas Krebs walked. Both advanced on a wild pitch, and one out later, Max Waltenberger’s sacrifice fly to center scored Baugh to give Edwardsville a 1-0 lead. Powell doubled home Krebs to make it 2-0 before the inning ended.

In the third, Krebs and Joe Chiarodo singled to open the inning, with Krebs going to second on a passed ball, and to third on Chiarodo’s hit. Krebs scored on a ground out off the third baseman to the shortstop, who threw out Waltenberger, with Chiarodo going to second, Powell struck out, but the third strike got away from the catcher, allowing Powell to take first, and Chiarodo to score to make it 4-0 for the Tigers.

Baugh was cruising along until the fifth, when O’Fallon threatened. Sam McCollum singles, Cole Becker reached on an error, and Caiden Cox was hit by a pitch to lead the bases, but Robertson hit into a double play to end the inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Krebs and Chiarodo singled to start the frame, Waltenberger singled home Krebs, and a two-run double by Powell brought in Chiarodo and Waltenberger to make it 7-0.

Two out singles by Asher Cantu and Dane Hrasky ended Baugh’s game on the mound, giving way to Ipanis, who gave up a single to Carson Bauer to load the bases, but Ipanis struck out McCollum to end the inning. In the seventh, a walk to Camden Cox, and singles by Connor Blue and Perez loaded the bases again for O’Fallon, but Dunnill came in and struck out Cantu to end the game in favor of Edwardsville 7-0.

Powell led the way for the Tigers with two hits and four RBIs, while both Chiarodo and Krebs had two hits each, Waltenberger had a hit and three RBIS, and Nick Chiarodo also had a hit. Baugh threw 5.2 innings and was credited with the win, scattering five hits while walking one and fanning four. Ipanis went for one inning, allowing three hits while walking one and striking out two, and Dunnill faced the final batter, striking him out.

Blue and Cantu had two hits for the Panthers, while Bauer, Hrasky, McCollum, and Perez all had hits. Blue started on the mound, and was charged with the loss, going three innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits, walking two and striking out six, Jackson Greene threw for one inning, allowing two runs, both earned, on tow hits while walking one, and Perez went the final two innings, allowed an earned run on two hits, walking one and fanning one.

The Tigers are now 22-9, and play at Triad on Friday at 4:30 p.m., host their Senior Day game against Springfield Saturday at 10 a.m., and finish the regular season at home on Memorial Day against Waterloo at 10 a.m. Edwardsville’s first playoff game is at the Belleville West regional on May 28 against Granite City at 4:30 p.m.

Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.

Dan Brannan also contributed to this story

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