COLLINSVILLE – Daniel Reed and Kade Burns had key roles in Edwardsville’s 6-2 win over O’Fallon in Wednesday’s IHSA Class 4A Bloomington Sectional semifinal game at Collinsville’s Woodland Park/Arthur Fletcher Field.
Burns got the win, going 6.2 innings with eight strikeouts and conceding an earned run and three hits, keeping the Panthers at bay in key situations, while Reed’s two-RBI single in the sixth gave the Tigers some important breathing room in a tight game.
“I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself,” Reed said of his big hit. “The ball was running in on me a bit (from OTHS pitcher Hayden Juenger), so I was looking fastball because I was ahead in the count (Reed’s hit came on a 2-1 pitch); I ended up getting it right back up the middle.”
Reed had to adjust when Juenger came into the game; Brayden Arnold had been pitching for the Panthers when Reed came up in the sixth; there were what Reed said were “small differences” between the two pitchers. “Like one tails the other way, just stuff like that,” Reed said. “You throw the ball through the zone, you’ve got to hit it.”
The EHS staff had put together scouting reports on the Panthers going into the game. “Coach (Mike) Waldo and our other coaches in the organization put a lot of work to get us that scouting report; it’s much appreciated,” Reed said.
Burns made adjustments to his delivery as the game went on to help keep the Panthers guessing. “I kind of made adjustments throughout the game,” Burns said. “I’d figured them out a little bit; it was a little different then what I was used to. I switched from pitching off the wind-up to throwing from the stretch the whole game; that seemed to work.
“It wasn’t uncomfortable (pitching from the stretch); I was getting into a groove and once I got into it, I went with it most of the game.”
Burns had faced OTHS previously and knew it was going to be a tough assignment. “They’re a tough team; they compete in the box and they don’t take any pitches off, so you’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game or they’re going to give it to you,” Burns said.
The Panthers had eliminated the Tigers previously in the postseason, so to be able to win one was satisfying for Burns. “Two years ago, they beat us in this exact game,” Burns said. “It was good to come back out and (win).”
Both Burns and Reed are glad to be in Saturday’s sectional final in Bloomington against Normal West. “I’m really excited to get up there,” Burns said. “I’ll be playing in the field for that game; it’ll be a fun game to play in too.”
“It’s a big deal,” Reed said. “My sophomore year, we got up to sectionals and we lost to O’Fallon; getting past them is a big deal because they’re a good team.”
