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CHEROKEE —
The St. Mary’s Colgan Panthers used pitching, speed and timely hitting Monday night during a Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League doubleheader sweep of the Southeast Lancers, 14-1 and 7-0.
In the first game, Colgan senior hurler Sam Gilbert pitched a complete game and surrendered one run on two hits. No. 14 finished with 10 strikeouts, including two in the first, two in the third, three in the fifth and two in the sixth. In the second game, V.J. Piccini, Christian Cedeno and Jack Villamaria combined for a three-hit shutout.
“I thought all our pitchers went out and threw well,” Colgan head coach Mike Watt said. “You know, Sam was not quite as sharp as he’s been but I thought he got stronger as he went and finished really well. I thought the three guys — V.J., Christian and Jack — all were sharp and threw well. It was good to get them some time on the mound and we’re trying to keep some arms fresh for Thursday (against Riverton).”
Colgan benefited from two big innings — a nine-run sixth inning in the first game and a three-run first inning in the second game. The Panthers scored their nine runs on 11 hits and four Southeast errors — one double and 10 singles, 10 hits coming after two outs in the inning. Colgan speed especially applied pressure on Southeast during this inning, breaking open what had been a relatively close first game.
“We ran the bases well,” Watt said. “We still didn’t execute as well as I’d like to, you know, we missed some bunts and we’re missing some signs. We’re getting better and slowly but surely, hopefully we’ll get there.”
Returning to baseball for his senior year, Christian Smith brings his sprinter’s speed to left field and the No. 9 hole, giving Colgan more or less an additional lead-off hitter at the bottom of its lineup and one more threat on the bases.
“There’s no substitute for speed and he gives us that extra advantage when he’s on the bases,” Watt said. “There’s just no substitute for it. It puts a lot of pressure on a defense and it enables you to get runners into scoring position. A walk for him is a double and it’s not only him, Nate Grimaldi . . . we run really well as a team and I think that’s one of our strengths.”
The St. Mary’s Colgan Panthers used pitching, speed and timely hitting Monday night during a Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League doubleheader sweep of the Southeast Lancers, 14-1 and 7-0.
In the first game, Colgan senior hurler Sam Gilbert pitched a complete game and surrendered one run on two hits. No. 14 finished with 10 strikeouts, including two in the first, two in the third, three in the fifth and two in the sixth. In the second game, V.J. Piccini, Christian Cedeno and Jack Villamaria combined for a three-hit shutout.
“I thought all our pitchers went out and threw well,” Colgan head coach Mike Watt said. “You know, Sam was not quite as sharp as he’s been but I thought he got stronger as he went and finished really well. I thought the three guys — V.J., Christian and Jack — all were sharp and threw well. It was good to get them some time on the mound and we’re trying to keep some arms fresh for Thursday (against Riverton).”
Colgan benefited from two big innings — a nine-run sixth inning in the first game and a three-run first inning in the second game. The Panthers scored their nine runs on 11 hits and four Southeast errors — one double and 10 singles, 10 hits coming after two outs in the inning. Colgan speed especially applied pressure on Southeast during this inning, breaking open what had been a relatively close first game.
“We ran the bases well,” Watt said. “We still didn’t execute as well as I’d like to, you know, we missed some bunts and we’re missing some signs. We’re getting better and slowly but surely, hopefully we’ll get there.”
Returning to baseball for his senior year, Christian Smith brings his sprinter’s speed to left field and the No. 9 hole, giving Colgan more or less an additional lead-off hitter at the bottom of its lineup and one more threat on the bases.
“There’s no substitute for speed and he gives us that extra advantage when he’s on the bases,” Watt said. “There’s just no substitute for it. It puts a lot of pressure on a defense and it enables you to get runners into scoring position. A walk for him is a double and it’s not only him, Nate Grimaldi . . . we run really well as a team and I think that’s one of our strengths.”
The mood of the doubleheader turned somber in the fifth inning of the second game when Southeast junior third baseman Justin Galloway took a hard groundball off the face. Down on the infield for several minutes, players, coaches and umpires huddled around Galloway for moral support. He walked off to a loud ovation and was taken off by the Crawford County EMS.
Colgan improves to 8-2 on the season and the Panthers host Riverton for a CNC League doubleheader Thursday night at JayCee Ballpark. Now officially at 498 wins, Watt could join the 500 club with two wins against the pesky Rams — Colgan head football coach Chuck Smith won No. 300 and Colgan head boys basketball coach Wayne Cichon won No. 500 earlier this school year.
On the softball field Monday night, Colgan swept a doubleheader from Southeast, 11-4 and 9-4, to improve to 13-1 on the season.
