Two extra-inning wins helped Platte County stay unbeaten its pool in the Blue Springs South Tournament, but the Pirates’ weekend came to a swift end in a 12-2 loss to Kearney on Saturday, Sept. 19 in Blue Springs, Mo. There were only four pool games played and no crossover place match due to inclement weather on Friday night. Platte County started 3-0, needing extra innings against Skiatook and Muskogee — both Oklahoma schools — on Saturday. The Pirates opened with a 6-2 win Friday against Webb City with Alexis Ray hitting an RBI triple in a three-run fourth to extend the advantage to 5-2. Ray went 2-for-3 to lead a 10-hit attack.
Muskogee tied Platte County at 4-4 with a run in the bottom of the seventh of the middle game, but a double from Lou Menninger keyed a three-run top of the eighth for the Pirates. Muskogee came back to plate two in the eighth off of pitcher Mallory Stoner, who threw the final 1 2/3 innings to record the win. Menninger went 3-for-3, including two doubles, with three runs and three RBIs.
Against Skiatook, an error allowed Lindsey Bogart to score the winning run for Platte County. She also collected two hits and three RBIs in the 5-4 win. The Pirates trailed 4-3 after Skiatook scored all four of its runs in top of the fifth, but Bogart tied the score with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.
Stoner didn’t allow an earned run and pitched out of trouble in the eighth to clinch the win.
Bogart drove in both runs with a double in the bottom of the first in the loss to Kearney, tying the score at 2-2. The Bulldogs ended up scoring 12 — only four earned — against starter Linley Weiken and Stoner, who came on in relief in the top of the fourth of the five-inning loss.
Platte County 6, Staley 3
Menninger went 4-4 with a two-run home run, and Stoner added another two-run blast later to help the Pirates to an upset Wednesday, Sept. 16 in Kansas City, Mo. They had lost three of four entering the matchup with a Class 4 powerhouse.
Weiken, Platte County’s No. 2 pitcher, threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on two walks and seven hits. Stoner came in and recorded the final eight outs to record the save.
Staley led 1-0 after the first, but Menninger’s two-run home run in the third gave the Pirates the lead for good at 3-2. Stoner hit her home run in the seventh, stretching the lead back out to three runs. Menninger singled in the second, fifth and seventh innings in addition to her two-run blast.
Platte County 12, Grandview 3
The Pirates led all the way after scoring four in the top of the first Monday, Sept. 21 in Grandview, Mo., putting the Suburban Conference Blue Division win away with eight more in the third.
Overall, Platte County collected just seven hits but benefited from eight errors on the Bulldogs to pull the season sweep. The Pirates sit at 10-8 overall and 4-2 in league play in what continues to be an up-and-down season coming off of last year’s Class 3 Missouri State Softball Championships runner-up finish.
Menninger highlighted the eight-run third with a two-run double. The frame also included three runs on passed balls and Jordan Wilson’s RBI single. Anna Townsend drove in two in the top of the first with a double.
Park Hill South 9, Truman 5
After a full week off, the Panthers held on for a Suburban Conference Red Division win Monday, Sept. 21 in Independence, Mo.
Truman scored three of its five runs in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Carolyn Stock, who pitched the final three innings and ended up charged with five runs. Olivia Kinsey started and struck out 11 while allowing two hits and two walks in the first four innings.
Park Hill South (13-3, 5-0 Red Division entering a matchup Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Park Hill) scored in five of seven innings and led 7-0 after four. Panthers second baseman Kate Kobayashi tripled to lead off the game and scored on Kasey Sadler’s grounder, which turned into a Patriots error.
Kylie DeClue, Park Hill South’s all-state center fielder, increased the advantage to 4-0 with a three-run home run to left center field in the third.
Stock added an RBI triple and scored on an error in the seventh. Truman pitching sat down nine straight prior to Taylor Johnson’s one-out walk in the seventh, and she scored two batters later on Stock’s hit to right field.