Jersey Baseball Team Nears 20 Baseball Wins In 2026 Under Head Coach Darren Perdun

EDWARDSVILLE - The Jersey baseball Panthers have had an excellent season in spring 2026 and are one win away from 20 victories on the season.

Jersey lost to Edwardsville in eight innings by a 6-5 close loss on Friday, May 15, 2026, at Edwardsville.

The Panthers fell to 19-11 on the season, which is one of the better records Jersey has had in quite a few years.

"To be honest, we are disappointed, as we felt we should have won this game," said veteran Jersey head coach Darren Perdun after the Edwardsville game. "In the top of the first inning, we had runners in scoring position, but we didn't score. In the top of the second, we had a lead-off hit, in the bottom of the second, they scored on a wild pitch, in the top of the third, we had runners in scoring position, and we should have scored another run, but we had bad base running.

"In the top of the fourth, we got the bases loaded, and we didn't score. Sp, again, we felt like we should have won this game. We let this one slip away, so we are disappointed, nonetheless."

Coach Perdun is still happy with how the season has turned out so far for Jersey, and knows his team is still hungry for more success.

"Yeah, we are," Perdun said. "But we want more. I'll be honest with you, this group expects more; we expect to win. We've kind of changed our mindset a little bit, and to go toe-to-toe with the best program in the state, of course, we were happy with. But again, we felt like we let it slip away again. My hats off to Edwardsville, a great program, but we felt like we should have won today."

With the IHSA playoffs about to get started, Perdun and his team will be concentrating on the one-percenters that often make the biggest differences in games.

"All those things I just listed were little things that we've got to control," Perdun said. "We've just got to do a better job of controlling those things. I think we understand now that when you play really good teams, you've got to do those things right. Otherwise, you end up losing a one-run ball game in extra innings. So, that's the way it goes."

Perdun did agree that the Panthers are still in a good position in Class 3A, and is confident of a good postseason run for his club.

"We like where we're at," Perdun said. "So, we've just got to keep working better, and like I say in baseball, you've just got to take it one game at a time."

Jersey is now 19-11, and finishes its regular season on the road, playing at Freeburg Tuesday, at Civic Memorial Wednesday, at Granite City Thursday, and at Alton next Friday, all games starting at 4:30 p.m.

Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.

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