Local High School Baseball Teams Battle Weather to Get Games In

Waterloo, Columbia, Gibault, and Valmeyer all manage to play despite rain delays

Apr. 8, 2026 at 6:33am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a high school baseball game, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color, capturing the dynamic energy of the sport.Local high school baseball teams demonstrate their resilience and skill despite weather challenges.Waterloo Today

Despite multiple days of heavy rain, four of the five local high school baseball teams in the region were able to get at least one game in over the past week. Waterloo, Columbia, Gibault, and Valmeyer all saw action, with standout performances from players like Waterloo's Trey Breitenstein, Columbia's Ayden Sepich, Gibault's Gus Schmidt, and Valmeyer's Luke Blackwell.

Why it matters

High school baseball is an important part of the local sports culture, and these teams' ability to play through the rain shows their resilience and commitment to the sport. The games also provide entertainment and community pride for residents.

The details

Waterloo lost 5-3 to Freeburg on Monday but bounced back with a 14-3 win over Trico last Wednesday, led by Trey Breitenstein's big game. Columbia picked up an 11-5 win over Gibault on Monday, with Ayden Sepich having a strong performance. Gibault won games against Chester and Okawville, with Gus Schmidt and Carson Timmons standing out. Valmeyer's Luke Blackwell threw a short-game no-hitter in a 15-0 win over Lebanon.

  • On Monday, Waterloo lost 5-3 to Freeburg.
  • Last Wednesday, Waterloo won 14-3 at Trico.
  • On Monday, Columbia defeated Gibault 11-5.
  • Last Tuesday, Columbia lost 11-4 to Appleton (Wisc.) at Triad.
  • Last Wednesday, Gibault won 13-4 at Chester.
  • Last Tuesday, Gibault won 18-8 over Okawville.
  • On Tuesday, Valmeyer won 15-0 in four innings over Lebanon.

The players

Trey Breitenstein

A player for the Waterloo Bulldogs who leads the team in hitting at .476 with three triples, eight RBIs, and six runs.

Ayden Sepich

A player for the Columbia Eagles who collected four hits and scored four runs in their 11-5 win over Gibault.

Gus Schmidt

A player for the Gibault Hawks who is hitting .500 with 11 stolen bases, 10 RBIs, and 15 runs so far this spring.

Luke Blackwell

The Valmeyer Pirates' right-handed pitcher who threw a short-game no-hitter, striking out 11 of the 12 batters he faced.

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What they’re saying

“Four of the five local high school baseball squads managed to get at least one game in over the past week despite bouts of soaking rain on multiple days.”

— Corey Saathoff, Author

What’s next

The teams will continue their seasons with more games this week, including Waterloo hosting Valmeyer on Wednesday, Gibault hosting a doubleheader against Waterloo on Saturday, and Valmeyer hosting the St. Louis Patriots on Monday.

The takeaway

Despite the challenging weather conditions, the local high school baseball teams have shown their resilience and commitment to the sport by finding ways to get games in. Their performances have provided entertainment and community pride for residents, highlighting the importance of high school athletics in the region.