By Jim Henry
St. Mary’s Colgan and Girard play their baseball state tournament semifinal games on Wednesday in Manhattan.
The baseball state tourneys for classes 2-1A, 3A and 4A were moved to Tointon Family Stadium on the Kansas State campus from Lawrence last weekend when the NCAA announced that Kansas was selected as a host for a baseball regional this weekend.
Defending state champion Colgan (18-7) is the No. 7 seed and plays third-seeded Frankfort (24-3) at 1:15 p.m. The first semifinal at 11 a.m. pairs top-seeded Thomas More Prep (28-1) against fourth-seeded Rossville (24-4).
The Panthers cruised in their quarterfinal game on Monday in Emporia, erupting for 10 runs in the top of the first inning en route to a 17-0, three-inning victory over second-seeded Spearville.
Leadoff batter Jayden Brown collected two singles, a double and a triple and drove in five runs to lead the Panthers. Brady Badart added three hits.
Gabe Brown (one inning) and Brady Crossland (two innings) combined for a no-hitter.
Colgan has outscored its opponents 69-2 during its five-game winning streak.
Frankfort (24-3) has won 10 straight games after Monday’s 13-7 victory over Southern Lyon County.
Frankfort scored in every inning except the third, and Landon Schreiner’s bases-loaded triple snapped a 5-5 deadlock in the fourth inning. He also drove in a run when he reached on an error in the first inning and with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth.
GIRARD
The Trojans (22-5) are the No. 7 seed in Class 3A and play third-seeded Burlington (24-2) at 5:45 Wednesday at Tointon Family Stadium.
Girard is riding a five-game winning streak after Monday’s 6-1 victory over second-seeded Jefferson West at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park.
Pitcher Kam Smith struck out nine batters and allowed two hits in 5 2/3 innings, and Bryor Schultz gave up a hit in the last 1 1/3 innings.
Robbie Bruening stroked two of Girard’s five hits, and Schultz drove in two runs.
The Trojans have outscored their last five opponents 34-6.
Burlington is facing a CNC League member for the second straight game after slipping past Frontenac 5-3 on Monday night at Blue Valley West. Burlington scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to snap a 2-2 tie.
Burlington is riding a 17-game winning streak and has allowed more than three runs in only one game during the streak, a 14-9 triumph over 2-1A quarterfinalist Southern Lyon County.
The first semifinal game has eighth-seeded Silver Lake (17-11) against fourth-seeded Russell/Victoria (23-5) at 3:30.
