GRANITE CITY – Granite City’s baseball season ended in a narrow regional defeat on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, but the Warriors closed 2026 with signs of progress after recovering from a difficult start and finishing 15-16 overall.
Granite City lost 1-0 in a highly competitive regional game on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at the Edwardsville High School ballpark. The Warriors finished the regular season 15-15 after opening the year 1-5, then won their first-round postseason game before falling in what coach Scott Smallie described as a “heartbreaker.”
“We started 1-5, and got our record back,” Smallie said, “and ended the regular season 15-15, and ended up winning that first-round game, then losing this heartbreaker today, so we took a big step. That’s what we preached all year, take that step, and then, we keep taking steps forward into the future, and keep working.”
The season-ending loss capped a year in which Granite City showed steady improvement, according to Smallie, who said the program made meaningful progress.
He said he hopes that momentum carries into 2027.
“Well, I’m hoping the sophomores and juniors take the lead that the seniors gave this year,” Smallie said. “And they come out in the offseason, and work, and bring it into another good season next year.”
Smallie said the Warriors had no reason to be discouraged by either the loss or the season as a whole.
“Absolutely nothing to hang our heads about this year, or this game,” Smallie said. “It was a heavyweight fight, back-and-forth, and we gave them all they wanted.”
