EDWARDSVILLE — Jack Kirgan singled home Hunter Baugh in the 10th inning Wednesday, May 27, 2026, lifting Edwardsville to a 1-0 win over Granite City in an IHSA Class 4A regional semifinal at Tom Pile Field and ending a dominant pitchers’ duel that sent the Tigers into the regional final.
The game turned on the first two batters of the 10th after Granite City starter Michael Terry reached the IHSA’s 115-pitch limit at the end of the ninth. Baugh led off with a double to left-center against Connor Schaefer, and Kirgan followed with a single to right to score the game’s only run.
Pitching controlled nearly every inning.
Granite City’s Terry worked nine scoreless innings, allowing eight hits, walking two and striking out six. Edwardsville’s Miller Dunnill and Tony Eberlin matched him, combining on a two-hit shutout with 15 strikeouts. Dunnill went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out nine. Eberlin earned the win with 4 1/3 hitless innings, walking one and striking out six.
“Pitching was the theme today,” Edwardsville head coach Tim Funkhouser said. “The Granite City pitcher did an outstanding job, and our guys were able to match him to pair him up. I thought Miller Dunnill did an outstanding job on the mound, and then, Tony went and came in, and was outstanding, too. So, their pitcher pitched well enough to win, for sure, we were able to get a big hit there, Baugh with a double, a good senior coming through, and then, Kirgan following up with a base hit was something special.”
Edwardsville threatened earlier but could not break through against Terry.
Dunnill opened by striking out the first five batters he faced before Ben Wilson’s two-out single stopped the run. Terry was sharp early as well, striking out four of the first eight batters he faced while allowing hits to Kirgan and Nolan Vojak as the teams played through two scoreless innings.
The Tigers mounted a chance in the third when Zane Maxwell led off with a hit and moved to second on Andrew McCutchen’s sacrifice. Kirgan then drew a two-out walk, and both runners advanced on a double steal, but Tyson Wampler lined to right to end the inning.
Granite City put a runner on in the fifth when Dunnill walked Andrew Willaredt, but a force at second ended the threat. Eberlin entered in the sixth and got Evan Brewer to ground to second to finish that inning.
Edwardsville came close again in the eighth on back-to-back two-out hits by Baugh and Kirgan, but Terry struck out Wampler looking to keep the game scoreless.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the ninth after Nick Chiarodo doubled to the gap in left-center, Nathan Bukovac singled and Vojak was intentionally walked. Pinch hitter Ty Hunt struck out, Maxwell grounded into a force play at the plate, and McCutchen grounded to second to end the inning.
Terry’s outing ended after the ninth because of the pitch-count rule.
“He’s the guy we have to stop from throwing,” Granite City head coach Scott Smallie said, “because he likes to throw so much. It’s pitch count, 115 pitches, and we had to get him out of there, but again, an absolute masterpiece on his part.”
Coach Smallie Praises Pitching In Contest
Smallie praised the overall quality of the pitching, but reserved special attention for Terry.
“All of the pitchers were good,” Smallie said, “but like I just told the guys in our last meeting, I don’t know that I’ve seen a better performance than Michael Terry threw today. Nine innings, got in and out of jams with their swing and miss. Absolutely magical on the mound today.”
Funkhouser said the Tigers’ approach in practice helped prepare them for a game decided by one late swing.
“The goal every day is in practice, do what you can,” Funkhouser said, “to get into pregame, do what you can, just try to get better, then, ultimately, you’ve got to go out there and compete. We didn’t execute some things as well, but then, credit their pitcher, because he just kept making pitches, and we didn’t adapt to it as well, but he didn’t break. Fortunately, we were able to prevail with that run late, but I think it was a hard-fought game. I think coach (Scott) Smallie’s always done a great job with them, had them well-prepared, and we’re fortunate to come away today with a victory and survive.”
Kirgan Finishes With Three Hits and Game’s Only RBI
Kirgan finished with three hits and the game’s only RBI. Baugh had two hits. McCutchen, Chiarodo, Vojak, Bukovac and Maxwell also had hits for Edwardsville. Wilson and Darin Brown had Granite City’s only hits.
Edwardsville improved to 25-11 and will play Collinsville, which defeated Quincy 12-3 in the other semifinal, in the regional final Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Granite City’s season ended at 15-16.
On advancing, Funkhouser said, “Yeah, the old survive and advance. We’re looking forward to practice tomorrow, we’ll get back out here tomorrow morning, and get another practice in on Friday, and go from there.”
“We played Collinsville a few weeks ago, but I’m sure they’ve had two, two-and-a-half weeks to get better. Quincy, I haven’t had a chance to see them, so, we’ll look forward to watching their game, and getting our guys better in practice these next couple of days.”
Funkhouser added, “It’s a great time of year, this is the type of thing you practice for all year, to be in a situation where you’re playing for a regional championship.”
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
