A legendary local baseball coach celebrated yet another milestone of late as his team has strung together some impressive victories.

Waterloo High School head baseball coach Mark Vogel, now in his final season at the helm of the Bulldogs, picked up career win No. 600 with 7-1 victory in game one of a Saturday doubleheader at home over Gibault. 

Vogel’s Bulldogs promptly gave him his 601st victory with a 5-0 win in game two. 

Waterloo pitching held Gibault to just four hits on the day.

Vogel has served as head coach of the Bulldogs since 1992, with his team’s appearing in multiple state tournaments.

Waterloo (9-4) kept up the positive momentum with a key 3-0 win Monday against Mascoutah in a Mississippi Valley Conference affair. AJ Sensel was the star for the Bulldogs, throwing a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts and just four hits allowed.

On Wednesday, the Bulldogs bested Mascoutah again, winning 6-4. Chaten Kirchner went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Caleb Papenberg added a hit and three RBIs. Conrad Lindhorst pitched a complete game.

On Thursday, Waterloo ran into a tough Marion squad, falling 15-9.

Last Wednesday, it was a 16-1 win for the ‘Dogs at home against Valmeyer. Patrick O’Donnell homered, and Lindhorst contributed two hits with a pair of RBIs in the victory. 

Waterloo hosts Triad on Monday.

O’Donnell leads the ‘Dogs in hitting so far this spring at .441 with four homers, 13 RBIs and 13 runs. Lindhorst is next at .429 with 12 RBIs.

Columbia (6-7) has been on a roller coaster of late, going 3-3 in recent games.

On Monday, the Eagles ran into a tough Red Bud squad, falling 10-8. The Musketeers pounded out 14 hits. Micah James homered for Columbia.

On Wednesday, it was a 2-1 loss at the hands of Roxana despite six solid innings on the mound from Connor Basinski.

On Thursday, Columbia picked up a 14-4 win at home over Wesclin.

This past Friday, Columbia came from behind to win 5-4 over Freeburg in a key Cahokia Conference tilt. The Eagles trailed 4-1 after five innings before plating three runs in the sixth and another in the seventh inning to emerge victorious. Cash Bailey, Logan Bosch and Brody Landgraf each had two hits for Columbia. 

Last Wednesday, the Eagles won 12-0 over Piasa Southwestern. Ayden Sepich pitched five innings of one-hit baseball, and his offense did the rest. Sully Bonaldi smacked two homers and drove in five runs. Will Kleinschmidt added two hits and three RBIs.

Last Tuesday, it was an 11-5 loss for Columbia against Freeburg. Bailey homered in defeat.

Columbia played Tuesday at Roxana, winning 7-1 in eight innings behind solid pitching from Sam Donald and Mason Voegele. Columbia hosts Belleville East on Saturday.

James is the top hitter for the Eagles thus far this spring at .462 and six stolen bases.

Gibault (4-11) picked up a much-needed win Monday over Sparta, 10-0. Peyton Schaefer struck out seven over six innings for the mound victory as Nolan Snell drove in four runs. Tyler Frierdich doubled and tripled for the Hawks.

On Thursday, Gibault won 9-8 over Red Bud. Frierdich went 3-for-4 and Peyton Schaefer contributed a pair of doubled with three RBIs.

Prior to its doubleheader loss at Waterloo on Saturday, Gibault lost 5-2 at Father McGivney last Friday. Hawks hitters struck out 12 times and had just two hits as a team.

Last Wednesday, it was a 12-11 win over Althoff for Gibault. Michael Wessel went 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, Layne Wilkens and Robert Pierpoint each had two hits and two RBIs, and Dante Gianino picked up the pitching win. 

Gibault plays Saturday at Okawville and Monday at Wesclin. 

Wessel is the leading hitter this season for Gibault at .333 with 12 RBIs and 12 runs. 

Valmeyer (6-9) went 2-3 in recent contests.

On Monday, the Pirates lost 12-3 to the St. Louis Patriots despite a home run off the bat of Luke Blackwell.

On Thursday, Valmeyer won a rain-shortened 5-0 contest in five innings against Lebanon. Kye Holbrook pitched a no-hitter with six strikeouts and just two walks. Ripken Voelker and Troy Neff collected two hits each, and Landon Roy went 1-for-1 with four stolen bases and two runs.

Prior to last Wednesday’s loss at Waterloo, Valmeyer won 10-2 over Lebanon last Tuesday. Blackwell went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, and freshman Tallen Jakimauskas picked up the pitching win.

Valmeyer played Tuesday at New Athens, falling 7-3. The Pirates hosted New Athens on Thursday, and then travel Tuesday to Marissa.

Blackwell is the top hitter for the Pirates at .452 with 19 runs, followed by Voelker at .406 and Chase Snyder at .400 with 10 RBIs.

Dupo (2-9) dropped five recent contests.

On Monday, it was a 12-2 defeat at the hands of Marissa as the Tigers were held to just three total hits.

Last Wednesday, Dupo lost 16-6 to Chester. Deegan Prater went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs.

Last Tuesday, the Tigers fell 9-3 to Marissa as they again only had three hits. Dupo also committed three errors.

Dupo played Tuesday at Steeleville, falling 4-2 despite a 2-for-2 day at the plate from Thinh Staggs. Dupo hosted Steeleville on Thursday, falling 6-2.

The Tigers travel Tuesday to New Athens.

Prater leads the club in hitting at .452.