Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
EDWARDSVILLE - Grant Huebner came through with an RBI triple in the fifth, then doubled home two more runs in the sixth to help Edwardsville defeat Marquette Catholic 7-3 in a baseball game played Friday afternoon at Tom Pile Field.
it was a part of a three hit, four RBI day for Huebner as the Tigers scored twice in the fifth and three more times in the sixth to pull away from the Explorers.
The Tigers got on the board first, when in the opening inning with two out, Spencer Stearns walked, went to second and third on a pair of passed balls, then scored on an infield single by Ty Berumen to make it 1-0 for Edwardsville. But the Explorers took the lead in their half of the third, again all with two out. Braden Coles singled on a shot back to the box, then scored on a Matt Lehr double to tie the game 1-1. Sean Mitchell then reached on an error by the shortstop, allowing Lehr to score and put the Explorers up 2-1.
Cade Hardy led off the home half of the third with a base hit, then Huebner singled to put runners on first and second with one out. With two out, Hardy stole third and scored on an error by the third baseman to tie the game 2-2. Edwardsville took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth, starting when Trent Schroeder reached second on an error by the right fielder when he couldn't catch his fly ball. Hayden Moore drew a walk one out later, then Huebner tripled to right, scoring Schroeder and Moore to make it 4-2.
In the Tigers' sixth, Gannon Burns singled to lead off the inning and stole second with one out, and after the second out, a Hardy single put runners on the corners. Adam Powell, hitting for Moore, singled home Burns to make it 5-2, then Huebner struck again, delivering a double down the right field line to score Hardy and Powell to make it 7-2.
Marquette did get a run back in their half of the seventh, starting with a lead-off walk to Logan Sternickle, going to third on a Coles single. Coles was thrown out attempting to steal second for the first out, but a Lehr single brought in Sternickle to make it 7-3. Nolan Rea then hit into a force play at second, and then was thrown out at third on a Carter Hendricks single to end the game, giving the Tigers a 7-3 win.
Besides Huebner's big day at the plate, Hardy had two hits, Berumen had a hit and RBI and Powell had the other hit for the Tigers. Lehr had three hits and a RBI for the Explorers, while Coles came up with two hits and Hendricks had the only other Marquette hit.
Conrad Heppler went five innings for the Tigers, allowing two runs on three his, walking two and striking out eight, while Mason Taylor fanned two on the mound. Coles and Logan Dennis each had two strikeouts for the Explorers.
Marquette next plays a doubleheader at Collinsville today, with the first game starting at 10 a.m. The Explorers then play Monday at Columbia, then hosts Roxana Tuesday at Gordon Moore Park in a pair of 4:30 p.m. games. The Tigers are now 11-3, and host a split doubleheader on Saturday, playing O'Fallon at 10 a.m., then St. Louis U. High at 2:30 p.m., then host Wentzville, Mo., Liberty at 4:30 p.m. Monday afternoon.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
