The high school softball season is in full swing, and a couple of local teams have started strong. 

Waterloo (3-0) has posted wins over Belleville East, O’Fallon and Dupo. 

On Monday, Waterloo pitcher Mia Miller had 18 strikeouts in a complete game one-hitter over Dupo, 5-0. At the plate, she went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when Waterloo plated three runs. 

Aiden Dintelman, who is 7-for-10 so far this season, went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Bulldogs.

Last Wednesday, Waterloo won 9-1 over O’Fallon. Miller was impressive again in the pitching circle, finishing with 17 strikeouts and just two hits allowed. She also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Samantha Juelfs went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and Jada Voelker also collected three hits for the ‘Dogs.

Waterloo plays Wednesday at New Athens and Friday at rival Columbia before hosting Freeburg on Monday.

Miller is 3-0 with a 0.33 ERA and 48 strikeouts in just 21 innings pitched so far this spring.

Columbia (3-1) won 6-3 at Mascoutah on Thursday. Karsen Jany, who will play college softball at Saint Louis University upon her graduation this spring, went 3-for-4 with a home run to lead the Eagles. Elle van Breusegen went 3-for-3 and Paige Froess picked up the pitching win. 

On Tuesday, Jany went 2-for-3 with a grand slam and six RBIs in a 14-1 blasting of Wood River.

Last Wednesday, the Eagles lost 11-1 to Mater Dei. Columbia was held to just two hits.

Columbia hosts Salem on Thursday before Friday’s showdown with Waterloo. The Eagles are at Triad for a Saturday doubleheader and host Piasa Southwestern on Monday before playing Tuesday at Breese Central.

Valmeyer (1-1) dropped a 7-0 contest against Okawville last Wednesday. The Pirates struck out 14 times and had just one hit off Okawville pitcher Taylor Hettenhausen.

The Pirates played Tuesday at New Athens.

Gibault (1-2) won 7-5 at New Athens last Monday. Libby Mesch struck out 11 in six and one-third innings pitched and also went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. 

Karina Jenkins and Emma Steibel added two hits each for the Hawks, who play Wednesday at Chester, host Christ Our Rock Lutheran on Friday and play Saturday at Althoff before a Monday road game at Wood River.

Dupo (1-3) lost 18-6 to Staunton last Wednesday. Kaylyn Woods went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Kyann Prater went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Tigers, who host Lebanon on Thursday and play Tuesday at New Athens.