The Waterloo, Columbia and Gibault baseball squads are all over .500 as games continue this week, giving local fans hope for success as spring moves forward.

The Bulldogs (5-4) picked up a 6-1 victory at defending Class 2A state champion Freeburg on Monday. 

Aidan Karsten threw a complete game for Waterloo, allowing just an unearned run on four hits. Garrick Schmidt had a hit and two RBIs to pace Waterloo’s offense. 

With another victory, Waterloo will tie its entire win total from 2021. 

On Saturday, the ‘Dogs split a doubleheader with rival Columbia. Waterloo lost the first game, 4-3, but broke out the bats to win 17-9 in the second game.

The Eagles scored in the top of the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie in the first game. Ethan Horvath went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for Waterloo. 

In the second game, a 10-run second inning propelled the Bulldogs to victory. Nate Phillips went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs, also picking up the mound win for Waterloo. Evan Davis and Josh Dluhy added three hits each. 

On Friday, Waterloo won 16-0 over Valmeyer. Aidan Licklider went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, Chase Veto went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and Karsten added two hits and three runs. 

Last Tuesday, Waterloo ran into a tough pitcher in a 6-0 loss to cross-town rival Gibault. Daniel Darin threw a complete game shutout for the Hawks with 11 strikeouts. 

Veto had two hits for the ‘Dogs, who host Belleville East on Thursday and battle Gibault and O’Fallon at SPPS Field on Saturday before Mississippi Valley Conference play begins Monday at Triad. 

Davis is hitting .458 with nine RBIs and eight runs to lead Waterloo’s offense, with Veto hitting .444 with nine RBIs and 10 runs. 

Karsten is 2-2 on the mound with a 1.78 ERA.

Columbia (5-3) lost 8-5 at Breese Central on Tuesday. The undefeated Cougars plated four in the bottom of the seventh inning. Logan Mueller went 3-for-4 for the Eagles, who won 14-2 last Tuesday over Wood River. Caleb Heck went 1-for-3 with three RBIs. Jameson Mistler and Dom Voegele added two RBIs each for the Eagles.

On Friday, Columbia went hitless in a 3-0 loss to Edwardsville. 

In Saturday’s doubleheader split with Waterloo, Kyle McConachie went 6-for-8 overall with four doubles to pace the Eagles. 

He is hitting .500 so far on the season. Mueller leads Columbia’s pitching staff at 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA.

Columbia plays Thursday at Salem, Friday at Gibault and Monday at Red Bud. 

Gibault (6-6) split a doubleheader with Mascoutah on Saturday, losing 11-3 in game one but winning 7-6 in game two. Darin, Kameron Hanvey and Darrin Kunkelmann collected one hit each in the game one loss. Hudson Blank went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and pitched four innings for the mound victory in game two. 

On Tuesday, the Hawks dropped a 7-6 decision to Father McGivney. Andy Altes had three hits for Gibault, with Hanvey and Jude Green each hitting two doubles.

Hanvey is leading Gibault on offense at .536 with 10 RBIs, 19 runs and 10 stolen bases. Darin is hitting .400 with 17 RBIs in addition to a 2-0 record and 0.45 ERA on the mound. 

Valmeyer (1-8) dropped a 15-0 contest to Steeleville on Tuesday. Elijah Miller had the team’s only hit.

The Pirates lost 4-0 to New Athens last Tuesday. Miller had two hits for the Pirates. 

Valmeyer plays Saturday at Althoff and this coming Tuesday at Dupo. 

Clay Juelfs is leading Valmeyer on offense at .478 with five runs and four stolen bases. Evan Rowe-Brown is hitting .412 and is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA on the mound. 

Dupo (1-3) won its first game Tuesday over New Athens, 3-2. Chance Hunter pitched a complete game and Logan Stevens went 2-for-3 for the Tigers, who lost 12-1 to Marissa last Tuesday and 12-2 to Roxana on Saturday. 

Stevens went 2-for-3 with a stolen base in Saturday’s loss. He is hitting .500 on the season, as is Hunter. 

The Tigers play Wednesday at Chester and Thursday at Red Bud before hosting Valmeyer this coming Tuesday.