Several former local high school baseball standouts took the field recently for their respective college squads as the spring season begins to bloom.

With several locals playing at the NCAA Division I, II and III levels as well as junior college, Monroe County and the surrounding area is well-represented in the college baseball ranks. 

In Division I, Valmeyer High School graduate Jacob Rowold made a solid debut for Bellarmine University. The lefty-swinging junior outfielder is hitting 3-for-10 with a home run, double and two RBIs in three games played.

Another local making his Division I debut was Columbia High School grad Dom Voegele. The 6-foot-2 freshman righthander made his pitching debut at the University of Kansas against Illinois-Chicago on Saturday, going three and one-third innings with three strikeouts and two walks for a 2.70 ERA. 

A third local getting his first experience of Division I baseball was Gibault grad Daniel Darin. The freshman southpaw made his pitching debut for Lindenwood University on Sunday in a win over Dayton, allowing a run on two hits in one and one-third innings pitched.

A few others from this area are continuing their college ball at the Division I level. 

CHS grad Jackson Holmes is a 6-foot-4 junior righthanded pitcher for Saint Louis University. He’s 1-0 in one start this spring for the Billikens, with four earned runs allowed and one strikeouts over four innings.

Another CHS grad is Shane Wilhelm, who is a senior righty at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Wilhelm has pitched one-third of an inning for the Salukis, who are 3-0 in the early going.

Waterloo High School grad Marcus Heusohn made his debut for a new school this spring, playing his junior season for the University of Illinois-Chicago. The lefty swinging infielder went 1-for-1 as a pinch hitter in an 8-2 loss to Kansas on Sunday. Heusohn played last season for Lindenwood.

A few local ballplayers play for Division II Quincy University this spring, which features Gibault grad and former Quincy player Chandler Purcell as assistant coach. WHS grad Evan Davis made his college debut last week, playing in two games against North Georgia. The second baseman is 1-for-8 at the plate with an RBI.  Gibault grad Tim Reinholz, a southpaw, pitched two and two-thirds innings with an unearned run allowed against North Georgia. CHS grad Logan Mueller, a righty, allowed two earned runs with two strikeouts in one and one-third innings pitched.

Two more local pitchers playing Division II ball are VHS grad Philip Reinhardt and WHS grad Drake Downing. They both play for Maryville University, which is 2-3 to start the season. Reinhardt, a lefty, has five strikeouts and two earned runs allowed over three and one-third innings. Downing, a righty, has one earned run allowed and three strikeouts over two innings. 

A CHS grad doing well at the plate is senior outfielder Brennen van Breusegen at the University of Central Missouri. He’s hitting .345 with a home run, three doubles and two triples with seven RBIs and seven runs for the Mules (9-2).

A pair of young Millstadt men, Joey Kossina and Brayden Biggs, are playing this spring for McKendree University. Kossina is hitting .231 with a home run and six RBIs in addition to pitching an inning and two-thirds. Biggs is 0-for-6 at the plate and has pitched an inning for the Bearcats.

Another CHS grad, Adam Wibbenmeyer, is a 6-foot-3 junior righthanded pitcher at the University of Illinois-Springfield. He previously played at Western Kentucky. Wibbenmeyer has pitched six and one-third innings and has six strikeouts in two appearances this spring.

At the Division III level, a few locals are showcasing their talents on the diamond. 

WHS grad Ty Kueper is a senior infielder at Fontbonne University. The sweet-swinging lefty is hitting .421 with a home run in four games for the Griffins (2-2). 

A pair of young New Athens men are playing at Greenville University this spring. George Schneider has a walk and run scored in two games. Jared Lischer has pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and two walks.

A VHS grad hoping to make his college baseball debut soon is Westminster College freshman utility player Elijah Miller, who was a key player for the Pirates last season. 

At the junior college level, CHS grad Kyle McConachie is off to a sizzling start to the season at Highland (Kan.) Community College. The sophomore infielder is hitting .382 in 11 games with 13 RBIs, 13 runs and six stolen bases.

A fellow CHS grad, Reed Drabant, is playing at Vincennes University. He is 0-for-3 with a walk at the plate in two games played.