Columbia High School graduate Brianna Weilbacher is a senior pitcher at Iowa State. (submitted photo)

Monroe County is well-represented on college baseball and softball diamonds this spring, with some former high school standouts making names for themselves at the next level.

Last year, Columbia High School graduate Josh Fleming made Monroe County proud by being drafted out of Webster University in St. Louis by the Tampa Bay Rays in the Major League Baseball draft. 

Other local athletes are hoping to follow in the footsteps of Fleming, who is now pitching in the minor leagues.

There are four locals currently playing NCAA Division I baseball, starting with Arkansas sophomore Jordan McFarland. The Waterloo High School grad declined to sign after being drafted by the Washington Nationals out of high school, choosing instead to play college ball. 

Following a solid freshman season, McFarland is enjoying further success this spring. He is hitting .328 with three home runs, 12 RBIs and 22 runs in 21 games for the Razorbacks, who are 19-9 on the season.

Gibault Catholic High School graduate Zach Neff is a senior pitcher at Mississippi State. (submitted photo)

Former WHS teammate Tyler McAlister is

a sophomore pitcher at Missouri State. The righthander has a 5.17 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 15-plus innings pitched so far this season.

Yet another WHS teammate playing Division I baseball is Erik Kaiser, who is a freshman righthanded pitcher at Vanderbilt University. Kaiser has thrown two scoreless innings so far for the Commodores (17-11), striking out three.

Gibault Catholic High School grad Zach Neff is having success in his senior season at Mississippi State. A transfer from Austin Peay, the southpaw has a 2-2 record with a 2.01 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched over 10 appearances, including two starts.

At the Division II level, fellow Gibault grad Wes Degener continues to shine. The senior outfielder is an offensive leader for Lindenwood University-St. Charles, hitting .313 with 23 runs and 19 RBIs in 30 games. He hit a home run at Central Oklahoma on March 30.

Also on this year’s Lindenwood squad is 2017 Gibault grad Tyler Brinkmann, who is listed as a freshman outfielder on the roster.

Continuing the Gibault connection is Quincy University junior Chandler Purcell, who is hitting .317 with a home run and five RBIs in 14 games played for the Hawks.

Gibault grad Austin Beccue of Red Bud is 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA in seven innings pitched this spring at Webster University.

A couple of locals are playing at McKendree University, including sophomore pitcher Andrew Hoguet of Columbia and freshman catcher Austin Francis of Dupo. Hoguet has a 4.50 ERA in four innings pitched. Francis has a home run and seven RBIs in limited action.

There are several locals playing at the junior college and NAIA levels, starting with CHS grad Cameron Touchette. The sophomore lefthanded-hitting outfielder parlayed last season’s success at John A. Logan into a commitment to Division I Kent State following the 2018 campaign.

This season, Touchette is hitting .275 with 13 stolen bases and 16 runs in 24 games.

Another junior college player planning to take his game to Division I next season is WHS grad Cole Milam. The hard-throwing righty reliever has 12 strikeouts and a 4.26 ERA in six-plus innings pitched at Jefferson College in Missouri. Milam has committed to SIUE following the 2018 campaign.

Two locals are members of the Southwestern Illinois College baseball team. Gibault grad Trevor Davis is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA and eight strikeouts in eight innings pitched. Freeburg grad Keegan Baxmeyer is hitting .338 with 17 runs in 21 games played.

The all-time hits leader at Valmeyer High School, Easton Wallace, is playing at Kaskaskia College, hitting .200 with an RBI in six games.

A senior at St. Xavier University in Chicago, WHS grad Tyler Hebel is 4-2 with a 2.51 ERA, 41 strikeouts and three complete games in nine starts.

A senior at Columbia College, WHS grad Jeremy Rettig is 3-1 with a 5.68 ERA in 25 innings pitched.

A freshman at William Woods College, Gibault grad Collin Kessler is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in 13-plus innings pitched.

SOFTBALL
A number of past high school standouts are performing well in college this spring.

 Iowa State senior Brianna Weilbacher, a CHS grad, was named Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week in early March. She is currently 8-7 with a 3.36 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 90 innings pitched for the Cyclones.

Former CHS teammate Taryn Pena is having a solid junior season at Drake University. Pena is hitting .295 with seven doubles, 13 RBIs and 10 runs for the Bulldogs (25-9).

Yet another CHS grad playing Division I softball is Missouri State freshman Kelly Metter. She is hitting .224 with two home runs, five doubles and 13 RBIs while playing third base.

Megan Brown, a 2017 Dupo High School graduate, is hitting .326 with two doubles in 23 games played at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She is also 0-1 in 13 innings pitched.

Fellow DHS grad Rachael Donald has played in five games this spring at Southeast Missouri State University, with two RBIs and a run scored.

Kasey Bradley, a WHS grad, has a 3.50 ERA in eight innings pitched this spring at Quincy University. 

Another WHS grad, Emelia Modglin, is hitting .316 with three home runs, 14 RBIs and 11 runs in 18 games as a junior at Fontbonne University.

Caitlyn Touchette, a CHS grad, is hitting .232 with eight RBIs in 26 games as a sophomore at Lindenwood University-St. Charles.

Touchette’s former CHS teammate, Kalli Farmer, is off to a strong start to her sophomore season at Millikin University. She is hitting .429 with a home run, 11 RBIs and 11 runs. She hit .363 last year.

At the junior college level, Jefferson College freshman Skylure Barlow of Dupo is hitting .442 with 12 home runs, 36 RBIs and 23 runs in 26 games. She has a .948 slugging percentage.

Three locals are members of the SWIC softball team. WHS grad Katy Polacek is hitting .417 with four runs in 14 games. Dupo grad Taylor Esmon is hitting .233 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 16 games. WHS grad Hannah King has also seen playing time.

Two locals are members of the Missouri Baptist softball team. Dupo grad Amber Mobbs, a sophomore outfielder, is hitting .275 with 14 runs in 20 games. WHS grad Miranda Brown, a freshman utility player, is hitting .271 with a home run and six RBIs in 23 games.