EDWARDSVILLE - Adam Powell had two hits and drove in three runs and five pitchers combined held Waterloo two a first-inning run and two hits while striking out seven as Edwardsville won its regular-season baseball finale 11-1 over the Bulldogs Monday afternoon at Tom Pile Field.
The Tigers' Class of 2022 - Bryce Beegle, Grant Huebner, Powell, Jacoby Roberson, Zack Schmidt, and Spencer Stearns - and their families were honored and recognized for their achievements and contributions to the Edwardsville program in the annual pregame ceremonies, after which the Tigers, after conceding the opening run in the first, tied the game in the second, then scored five runs in the third and fifth innings to take a 10-run rule win over the Bulldogs.
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After allowing the opening run to score on an error in the first, Edwardsville tied the game in the bottom of the second on an RBI double to left by Beegle, scoring Cade Hardy, who had been hit by a pitch, to tie the game at 1-1. In the third, Stearns led off with a single, then Montrez West, running for Stearns, stole second and scored on a Riley Iffrig double to left to give the Tigers the lead 2-1.
Caleb Copeland then drew a walk and Powell doubled down the right-field line to score Iffrig to make it 3-1 for Edwardsville. Cade Hardy then hit into a fielder's choice to third, forcing Powell but allowing Kayden Jennings, running for Copeland, to score, then one out later, Hardy stole third and scored when the catcher threw the ball into left field to make the score 6-1 for Edwardsville.
In the Tigers' fifth, three straight singles by Gannon Burns, Beegle and Huebner scored Burns to make it 7-1, while a Stearns single scored Beegle and advanced courtesy runner Luke Range to third, while Stearns took second on the throw. Cole Funkhouser was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Jennings was also hit, forcing home Range, then a two-run double to right by Powell scored Stearns and Funkhouser to end the game in Edwardsville's favor 11-1.
Besides Powell's performance at the plate, Huebner, Beegle, and Stearns each had two hits and a RBI, Iffrig had a hit and RBI, Roberson and Burns each had a hit, and both Hardy and Jennings each drove in a run.
The pitching combination of Burns, Schmidt, Alec Marchetto, Joe Chiarodo, and Jake Holder combined for the five innings pitched for the Tiger, with Chiarodo and Holder both striking out two batters and Burns, Schmidt and Marchetto fanned one each.
The Bulldogs conclude the regular season 15-15, while the Tigers finish up 29-4 and start their IHSA Class 4A postseason campaign in the Alton regional on Wednesday afternoon against the host Redbirds at Redbird Field in a 4:30 p.m. first pitch. The winner meets Thursday's other semifinal winner, either Quincy or Granite City, in the final Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
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