NEW ENTERPRISE, Bedford County — The Mars baseball team’s hopes of extending its season ran into Luke Zimmerman Thursday afternoon.

Marple Newtown’s senior pitcher held the Planets to just three hits as the Tigers defeated the Planets, 6-1, in a PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal playoff.

Mars produced its lone run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning on Jack Anderson’s solo home run.

“His fastball was in the low to mid-80s,” said Mars coach Andy Bednar of Zimmerman, who remained perfect on the season with a 10-0 record. His ERA now stands at 0.72. “He threw a lot of breaking balls and kept us off-balance. We swung at a lot of first-pitch curveballs and that played in his favor.”

Despite the Planets’ struggles at the plate, they trailed just 2-1 after six innings, but the Tigers scored four insurance runs in the top of the seventh frame. Alden Mathes set the table for the inning with a leadoff triple off Mars reliever Joe Craska.

Zimmerman then struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to end the game. He fanned seven and walked two.

Frank Craska started on the mound and lasted six innings for the Planets. He struck out six and walked two.

“Frank pitched really well,” Bednar said. “Marple Newtown (23-2) was definitely one of the best hitting teams we’ve faced this season and we emphasized to Frank that he had to keep the ball down. He did that, gave up a couple of early runs, but pitched five scoreless innings after that.”

Mars finishes the season with a record of 16-7.

“We had high hopes before the season started,” said Bednar, “but we were pretty up and down through the first half of the season. It was after a 2-1 loss to Kiski (April 28) that we turned things around. We ended up winning big section games over Hampton, Fox Chapel and North Hills.”

Mars reached the WPIAL championship game for the second straight year, but fell to North Hills, 3-2, in extra innings.

“I was proud of the way the guys bounced back from that,” said Bednar.

Marple Newtown 200 000 4 — 6 8 0

Mars 000 100 0 — 1 3 2

W: Luke Zimmerman 7 IP (7K, 2BB). L: Frank Craska 6 IP (6K, 2BB).

Marple Newtown (23-2): Andrew Cantwell 2-1B RBI, Alden Mathes 3B 2R, Reilly Fillman 2B R, Kevin Merrone 2B 2RBI

Mars (16-7): Jack Anderson HR, Rowen Fletcher 2B, Jon Wetherholt 1B