The Valle Catholic Warriors are heading back to the final four.

After a missed year, the Warriors halted the Ellington Whippets 5-2 in the Class 2 State quarter finals Wednesday on J98.

Ellington jumped out with a 1-0 lead through four frames, before the Valle bats battled for a two-run fifth.

Warriors pitcher Kellen Blum finished a complete game allowing four hits, two runs, a walk and six strike outs. Valle head coach Nathan Gegg says his pitcher is the perfect representative of the Warriors name.

The Whippets season comes to a close at 17-8 and one win shy of being the first ever Ellington team, of any sport, to reach a final four. Head coach Jake Hime says the future is bright in Southern Reynolds County.

The 23-9 Valle Catholic Warriors advance to the State semi finals on Monday at CarShield Field in O’fallon at 4 p.m. Both remaining Valle games can be heard on Regional Radio and mymoinfo.com.

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