EDWARDSVILLE - Adam Bilzing, a senior outfielder for the Belleville West baseball team in 2026, provided needed senior leadership and encouragement to his teammates on the Maroons this season.
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In a game against Edwardsville on April 21, 2026, at Tom Pile Field, he came through in a big way.
Bilzing had the key hit in the third inning, a bases-clearing double that scored three runs as a part of an eight-run inning that helped propel West to a 12-2 win over the Tigers, and it was definitely his most important hit this season.
In a postgame interview that day, Bilzing described the pitch he hit as one he took to the opposite field.
"I saw the pitch, I liked it," Bilzing said, "and I just took it the opposite way into the gap. But I encouraged my teammates to get on before me. I'm trusting them to get on, and it's my job to bring them in."
The Maroons displayed much resilience this season as a baseball club, and Bilzing was a key reason for that.
Bilzing has been happy with his own body of work through the season.
"It's just important to keep your head up and be there for my teammates, who come out every day," said Bilzing, who epitomized the team-first approach in his play throughout the 2026 campaign.
