Belleville West Edges Edwardsville 2-1 In Baseball

EDWARDSVILLE - Hunter Baugh pitched a magnificent game, going six innings and allowing a run on three hits while striking out eight. But in the top of the eighth, an error allowed the winning run to score as Belleville West dealt Edwardsville its first Southwestern Conference loss 2-1 Thursday afternoon, May 8, 2025, and evening at the Edwardsville District 7 Sports Complex. The game started out at Tom Pile Field, but in the top of the eighth, with a runner on and one out, a rain and lightning delay struck, holding the game up for close to an hour, before it was moved to the turf junior varsity field, where the game was completed.

Baugh has pitched well for the Tigers all season, and Thursday was a great example of his contributions to the team. A lack of execution offensively was Edwardsville's downfall on the day.

"Hunter's been excellent for us on the mound all year," said Edwardsville head coach Tim Funkhouser, "and he threw well again. It was unfortunate we didn't execute offensively today. We weren't banging down the walls or anything like that, so we needed to do some situational stuff, and we didn't do that well. If we need to get a guy over with a bunt, we didn't move a runner.

"If we a hit and run, we didn't execute on that. It's something we practice every day, so it's disappointing from that standpoint, but also big learning lessons to understand how much it can impact the game, because today, it did. We'll get better with that, and we'll get back out there again, but Belleville West played well, and they deserved to win today."

The Maroons' starter, Chase Boente, also pitched very well, holding the Tigers to the single run in the third inning, in a pitcher's duel that was very exciting to see.

"I thought both teams, their pitchers threw well," Funkhouser said. "They got the ball in play, and made some key pitches, and we just didn't get some swings on some balls."

Although the Tigers lost, the Southwestern Conference race is still up for grabs, and Edwardsville will be hosting their annual round robin tournament this weekend. There is still plenty of time to bounce back before the IHSA postseason starts, as well.

"We've got a loss in the other column on the conference side," Funkhouser said, "and we're playing for the conference, hopefully a top seed. With the weekend coming up, we'll regather ourselves pretty quick here, and get back at it tomorrow night. The tournament's always a great setting. Right now, just a little disappointed we didn't come through, but that the beauty about baseball, is a lot of times, you get to go back out, and try to make it different the next day, so we will."

Both Boente and Baugh were dealing right from the start, with Baugh benefitting from a first inning double play, and Boente getting out of a first inning jam with good pitching.

The Maroons took the lead in the top of the third, with Treyton Bowen reaching on an error by the first baseman, and both Adam Bilzing and Casey Fultz singling to load the bases, where Evan Hofmeister singled home Bowen to give West a 1-0 lead. The Tigers tied the game in the home half, when, with one out, Baugh singled, went to second on a ground out by Lucas Krebs, and scored on a RBI single by Joe Chiarodo to draw level at 1-1. Max Waltenberger singled, and both runners advanced on a passed ball, but Tyler Powell grounded out to end the inning.

Baugh then took charge in the middle innings, getting out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the sixth by striking out Bowen, and getting Bilzing to line to second. Boente benefitted from a double play in the fourth, and when Krebs was caught stealing in the fifth, handcuffing the Tigers at every turn.

The game went into extra innings, when, in the top of the eighth, with a runner on first and one out, the game was delayed by a lighting sighting, and rain, with the conclusion moved to the turf JV field. After an hour's delay, the game resumed with reliever Dax Dunhill striking out Bowen, but Bilzing singled John Hilpert, who had walked to lead off the inning, to third, where Hilpert just beat out the throw. Mac Feazel then reached on an error, allowing Hilpert to score to make it 2-1, but there would be no further damage.

A two-out double to the right center field fence by Waltenberger was the only hit of the bottom of the inning, as Fultz got the final out to preserve the 2-1 win for West.

Fultz had two hits for the Maroons, while Hofmeister had a hit and West's only RBI, and Bilzing came up with two hits. Boente pitched six innings, allowing a run on six hits, while walking two and striking out three. Fultz pitched the final two inning, and was credited with the win, allowing only one hit, while fanning one.

Waltenberger had three hits for the Tigers, while Chiarodo had two hits and the Tigers only RBI, while Baugh, Auggie Johnes, and Krebs had the other hits. Baugh threw six innings on the mound, allowing an unearned run of five hits, waling two and striking out eight, while Ethan Stewart pitched 0.1 innings, walking two, and Dunhill pitched the final 1.2 innings, allowing an unearned run on a hit, walking one and fanning three, and was charged with the loss.

The Tigers slip to 15-7, and host their round robin tournament this weekend, playing Glenwood Friday night at 7 p.m., then play twice on Saturday, meeting Highland at 10 a.m., then Teutopolis at 12:30 p.m. Edwardsville then meets Belleville East in a critical SWC series, Tuesday at home, and Thursday at East, with both games starting at 4:30 p.m.

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