Edwardsville’s shortstop is the Tigers’ not-so-secret weapon on the mound

Even though he hasn’t pitched since his freshman year, senior shortstop Kade Burns has emerged as the staff ace for the Edwardsville Tigers.

Through five outings, Burns (4-0) has four wins and a save and has yet to allow a run. Opposing teams have managed only three hits against him in 22 innings, during which time he has racked up 41 strikeouts while issuing only five walks.

“I don’t think anybody would have imagined this,” Edwardsville coach Tim Funkhouser said of Burns, who signed with Division II Central Missouri as a shortstop. “He’s been outstanding for us and so consistent each performance. I jokingly told him that he’s making me look back for not pitching him before.

“I’ve had to answer the question five times, why didn’t you pitch him as a sophomore or junior.”

Burns’ first outing was a 1 2/3-inning save March 17 against Plainfield South, which began a streak of just over 15 innings of hitless baseball. He tossed three hitless innings against Greenville, five more against Collinsville, then carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Alton.

Burns’ hitless streak ended against Alton when he allowed three hits, but he’s been virtually spotless. He tossed six no-hit innings in his last start April 11, a 4-1 victory over Belleville East.

In his last three starts, has allowed only three hits while striking out 31.

“He has a strong arm at shortstop,” Funkhouser said. “His ability to throw the ball where he wants on the run or even from a stationary position was really at the highest level He duplicated that on the mound, too.”

Funkhouser said Burns has made himself more effective by adding a cutter and always being around the strike zone.

“The way he’s able to take speed off his pitches makes his fastball look even firmer and kind of heavy,” Funkhouser said. “He has a really relaxed composure and you can tell that hes’ got a lot of confidence and wants the ball.”

This story was originally published April 17, 2017 at 8:42 PM with the headline "Edwardsville’s shortstop is the Tigers’ not-so-secret weapon on the mound."