EDWARDSVILLE – Tyson Wampler had two hits, including a three-run home run over the fence in center, and three RBIs, while Tony Eberlin threw five solid innings on the mound, striking out five, as Edwardsville won its first game of the annual Tiger Classic round robin tournament over Teutopolis 8-3 Friday afternoon, May 8, 2026, at Tom Pile Field.
The game was originally set for 7 p.m. Friday, but moved up to the afternoon because of possible rain and storms that was forecast for the area Friday night.
After threatening in the second, the Wooden Shoes broke out on top in the top of the third. With two out, Devin Worman walked, stole second, and scored on Aiden Niemeg’s RBI single to right, putting T-Town into a 1-0 lead. After Jason Kreke was hit by a pitch, he and Niemeg scored on a double by Austin Borries to give the Shoes a 3-0 lead.
Edwardsville got one of the runs back in the bottom of the third, again all happening with two out. Hunter Baugh and Jack Kirgan had back-to-back singles, with Baugh going to third. Baugh and Kirgan then executed a double steal, with Kirgan going to second and Baugh scoring to cut the lead to 3-1.
The Tigers took absolute control of the game in the fifth, scoring six times. It all started with a lead-off double by Andrew McCutchen, who went to third on a base hit by Baugh, with McCutchen scoring on an RBI single by Kirgan. The throw to the plate was late, allowing Kirgan to take second, Baugh going to third to make the score 3-2.
Wampler then delivered the game’s telling blow, his three-run homer over the center field fence, scoring Baugh and Kirgan ahead of him, and giving the Tigers the lead 5-3. Joel Fields then singled, Nick Chiarodo walked, and one out later, Nathan Bukovac, pinch-hitting for Sutton Leas, singled home both Chiarodo and Fields, with Bukovac taking second on the throw to the plate.
Edwardsville completed the scoring in the sixth, starting with a walk to Baugh and singles by Kirgan and Wampler to load the bases. One out later, Chiarodo singled home Baugh to make it 8-3, keeping the bases loaded, but a double play ended the inning. Miller Dunnill retired Teutopolis in the seventh to preserve the 8-3 win.
Kirgan came up with three hits and an RBI for Edwardsville, while Wampler had two hits and three RBIs on the fifth inning homer. Both Baugh and Fields had two hits each, Bukovac had a hit and two RBIs, Chiarodo had a hit and an RBI, and both McCutchen and Zane Maxwell had a hit apiece. Eberlin threw five innings on the mound and picked up the win, allowing three earned runs on four hits, walking three, and striking out five. Dunnill pitched the final two innings, giving up only two hits, while walking two and fanning none.
The Wooden Shoes are now 19-6, while the Tigers won their seventh straight, and are now 17-8, and play against Highland in their second tournament game Saturday morning at 10 a.m., then play Chatham Glenwood at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday to finish the tournament.
The Tigers then play in their final Southwestern Conference series Tuesday and Thursday against Collinsville, Tuesday at Woodland Park, and Thursday at Tom Pile Field. In between, Edwardsville plays at Columbia on Wednesday afternoon. All games starting at 4:30 p.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
