Coming off a 6-1 victory over Murphysboro on Friday, the Waterloo High School baseball team added to its undefeated record against Freeburg. But the 5-3 ‘W’ over the Midgets almost slipped through the Bulldogs’ fingers.

“We are getting a little complacent on offense,” WHS baseball coach Mark Vogel said, adding that his team didn’t put down bunts and execute at the plate in the fourth and fifth innings when the ‘Dogs could have put the game away early.

“Our approach at the plate hasn’t been as disciplined,” the Bulldog skipper said of the one area he thinks his team can really improve.

Alex Wittenauer got the win, pitching six innings for WHS with five strikeouts. The senior lost some gas in the sixth inning when the Midgets put up their three runs of the game.

Waterloo fired back with one run in the bottom of the sixth, putting the game away. The Bulldogs advanced their record to 6-0 with the victory.

“I think we’ve shown that we can compete and will all year,” Vogel said of his team’s zero-loss season thus far.

But the Bulldogs will face Alton (7-0) on Wednesday at Gordon Moore Park and Edwardsville (4-2) at home Friday in two of their tougher match-ups all year.

“We will know by Friday evening just how good we are and what we need to work on from there,” Vogel said of the team’s tough stretch this week.

The Bulldogs will begin conference play next Monday at Jerseyville.

In other baseball news…

After a fantastic 6-0 start for the Gibault Hawks, the team took home three losses in a row beginning Wednesday against Belleville West, falling 6-2. The team then went on to suffer a double header sweep against Mascoutah on Saturday.

“They had pitchers that were better than what we had previously seen, but we still need to compete better offensively against good pitching,” Gibault baseball coach Andy Skaer said of their tough competition last week.

But the Hawks redeemed themselves, ending up on the right side of a double-header sweep Monday against Alton-Marquette.

Gibault defeated the Explorers 13-2 both games, coming out hot in the second inning of play by scoring eight runs to start them off.

“Being able to start over, and start the week with two big wins, was really rewarding,” Skaer said. “Getting the offense going again was really important.

Zach Neff pitched all six innings of the first game and had seven strikeouts. Chase Dugan took home win No. 2 for the Hawks Monday, with Nick McBride closing.

Junior Ryley Wallin had a good day, notching three RBIs in each game and a homer as icing on the cake in the second game. Jordan McFarland also hit a bomb in game No. 2.

Gibault will play at Red Bud Wednesday and will host Valmeyer on Friday.