The Valmeyer baseball team hoists the sectional title plaque following Saturday’s win at Greenville College. (Corey Saathoff photo)

The Valmeyer High School baseball team was in the same situation last season, playing for a sectional title. This time, there were smiles instead of frowns after it was all over.

The Pirates captured the Class 1A Greenville College Sectional title over Carrollton on Saturday, 7-4.

“We just have great young kids,” Valmeyer head coach Greg Reinhardt said. “They’re winners. They don’t like to lose.”

Valmeyer fell behind early, with misplays in the field on fly balls lost in the sun resulting in Carrollton taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the third inning. But the Pirates rallied for four runs to take a 4-2 lead in that frame.

Andrew Whipple singled and Riley McCarthy was hit by a pitch before a Cole Juelfs double got Valmeyer on the board. An Easton Wallace single scored two more, and a Philip Reinhardt sacrifice fly made it 4-2.

“Cole had that big double, and I think we just relaxed at the plate after that,” Greg Reinhardt said.

The Pirates tacked on a run in the fourth on a wild pitch and added another run on an RBI groundout in the fifth.

Carrollton rallied for two runs in the sixth to cut Valmeyer’s lead to 6-4, but the Pirates added an insurance run heading into the final frame.

Philip Reinhardt, who struck out five and allowed just four hits in another strong mound performance, was pulled with one out in the seventh due to the IHSA pitch count limit of 105. Drew Maus came on to record the final two outs for the save.

Wallace went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Whipple went 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Valmeyer (26-9) advances to Tuesday’s supersectional to be played at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield against the winner of the Lewistown Sectional.

To read our earlier story on Valmeyer’s postseason run, click here.