St. Mary’s Colgan senior Carston Simmons fired a four-hit shutout and Brady Crossland’s three-run walk-off home run highlighted a five-RBI performance for the senior third baseman during Colgan’s 11-0 run-rule win in six innings Thursday afternoon at historic Jaycee Ballpark.

Simmons allowed a single in the first, a single in the fourth and two singles in the fifth.

Colgan plated two runs in the first, one in the fourth, five in the fifth and three in the sixth. Crossland hit RBI singles in the first and fifth, Simmons and Brady Bettega also had RBI singles and Gabe Brown’s two-run single highlighted the five-run fifth.

The Panthers improved to 13-6 on the season with only two regular-season games remaining.

“He (Simmons) did a real good job of throwing strikes and we played very good defense behind him,” Colgan baseball coach Mike Watt said. “Brady Crossland made three or very good plays and it wasn’t just Brady, we were solid defensively at basically every position.

“We got off to a little bit of a slow start (offensively), but give Marmaton credit. We were putting the ball in play and they were making good plays like we were. It was a good baseball game and our kids regrouped and we were able to run the bases well and put the ball in play. We had a few times there with runners in scoring position that we got a ground ball or a fly ball, you know the little things that add up.”

Crossland continued to be solid at the plate for the Panthers.

“He’s been very good at the plate all year long,” Watt said. “He’s probably in the top two or three of all our offensive categories. Today was just another good day for him.”

The Panthers are scheduled to return home Friday against Missouri Class 6 school Joplin. The Eagles were 13-12 entering their game Thursday against Springfield (Mo.) Parkview.

“Weather permitting, it sounds like it’s going to rain again,” Watt said. “Joplin is always going to be very solid and competitive baseball team. We’re going to have to show up ready to play. I don’t really know a lot about them. They’ve got a new head coach (Chase Kilgore). He does a very good job with his kids. I expect a very solid, competitive game.”

The Panthers also returns home Monday against Iola. Iola recently defeated Girard 4-2 a day after the Trojans became the top-ranked team in Class 3A.

Marmaton Valley 000 000 — 0 4 5

St. Mary’s Colgan 200 153 — 11 10 0

Tyler Lord, Thomas Allee (6) and Kaden McVey; Carston Simmons and Brycen Farris. W: Simmons. L: Lord. HR—SMC: Brady Crossland.

This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund/