The Columbia High School baseball team was flying high entering the Class 2A sectional championship game, but it lost to a tough Freeburg squad on Friday.

The Midgets (33-3) scored early and often in a five-inning, 11-1 victory. The Eagles finished their season at 20-11.

Freeburg scored five runs in the first inning, chasing Columbia starting pitcher Adam Wibbenmeyer after just two-thirds of an inning. Dom Voegele replaced him on the mound.

Columbia’s only run of the contest came in the third inning on an RBI groundout by Drew Graves after Matt Howard had singled and advanced on an error.

Freeburg plated three runs each in the fourth and fifth innings to win the game going away.

Columbia lost twice in the regular season to their Cahokia Conference rivals, who advance to the Class 2A Carbondale Supersectional against Harrisburg on Tuesday.

Playing their final game as an Eagle were recent graduates Wibbenmeyer, Graves, Howard, Jackson Holmes, Sam Bonaldi, Trey Hemminghaus, Jonah James, Tate Schilling, Isaac Schreckenberg, Max Woelfel and Nolan Zarek.

For a recap of Columbia’s earlier postseason wins, click here.