St. Bede Bruins Overcome Cold Weather with Timely Hits in Win Over Bureau Valley

Gus Burr and Maks Baker deliver key late-inning hits to power the Bruins to victory.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:18am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball game, with players and the field abstracted into angular, colorful shapes that capture the dynamic energy of the sport.The St. Bede Bruins' resilience and timely hitting in the late innings overcame the chilly conditions to secure a hard-fought victory over Bureau Valley.Peru Today

The St. Bede Bruins returned home from a warm spring trip to Tennessee to face chilly 47-degree temperatures in their matchup against Bureau Valley. Despite the cold, the Bruins' bats warmed up late, with Gus Burr hitting a two-run single and Maks Baker adding a two-run double in the top of the seventh inning to secure a 6-1 victory.

Why it matters

The win over Bureau Valley marks an important bounce-back for the Bruins, who were unable to capitalize on scoring opportunities during their recent spring trip. The timely hitting in the late innings showcases the team's resilience and ability to adapt to changing conditions, which will be crucial as they gear up for a rivalry game against Hall.

The details

St. Bede junior Alec Tomsha got the Bruins' seventh-inning rally started when he was hit by a pitch with one out. Geno Dinges then walked, setting the stage for Burr's two-run single and Baker's two-run double to tack on four crucial insurance runs. Earlier, Tomsha had given the Bruins a 2-1 lead with a two-run single in the top of the second inning. Bruins starter Ranbir Saini pitched well, allowing just one unearned run on one hit and three walks while striking out 10.

  • The game was played on Monday, April 8, 2026.
  • The Bruins had just returned home from a week-long spring trip to Tennessee, where they played in 80-degree weather.

The players

Gus Burr

A St. Bede player who delivered a key two-run single in the seventh inning to give the Bruins the lead.

Maks Baker

A St. Bede player who hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to extend the Bruins' lead.

Alec Tomsha

A St. Bede junior who got the Bruins' seventh-inning rally started and also hit a two-run single in the second inning to give St. Bede an early lead.

Bill Booker

The veteran head coach of the St. Bede Bruins.

Ryan Schisler

The head coach of the Bureau Valley Storm, who praised his team's effort despite the loss.

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What they’re saying

“It was beautiful down there. Come back here and it's freezing. Bats are cold.”

— Alec Tomsha, St. Bede Junior

“We were guilty down south (in Tennessee) of not tacking on runs in a game we needed, so that was the focus today and we did it. That's a start in the right direction.”

— Bill Booker, St. Bede Head Coach

“I was looking in the right gap. I saw there was a gap out there.”

— Alec Tomsha, St. Bede Junior

“To our other guys credit, they came in and threw strikes. (Blake) Foster came in and threw really well. Drake (Taylor) almost worked himself out of trouble there.”

— Ryan Schisler, Bureau Valley Head Coach

“That's a huge game. We've all been waiting for it all year.”

— Alec Tomsha, St. Bede Junior

What’s next

The Bruins (5-5) will gear up for their rivalry game with Hall at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

The takeaway

Despite the cold weather conditions, the St. Bede Bruins showed their resilience and ability to overcome adversity with timely hitting in the late innings. This win will provide momentum as they prepare for a highly anticipated rivalry matchup against Hall, a game the team and its fans have been eagerly awaiting all season.