The Jon Davis era for the Park Hill baseball team (1-1) had a rough start, taking on the defending Class 6 State Champions in the Kansas City Metro Lead-Off Tournament at Creekside Baseball Complex on March 17.
Liberty North (4-0) showed why it’s the reigning champion, as Park Hill was shut out in a season opener for the first time in more than a decade, losing 10-0. The Eagles scored two runs in each of the first two innings to go up 4-0 early and the Trojans struggled offensively.
Liberty North’s Tate McGuire pitched a no-hitter and had nine strikeouts in the first four innings before Dakota Hanna came in as the reliever and struck out Logan Hampton, Zane Baker and Franklin Hodge after Caelin Bradford was hit by pitch in the first at-bat of the inning. Dayton Howard had the only batted ball for Park Hill in the contest.
Entering the top of the fifth inning, the Eagles held on to a 4-0 lead and more than doubled that lead with six runs. The Trojans had some self-inflicted wounds in the inning, walking four batters and having an error to put Liberty North up 10-0.
On the same day, Park Hill matched up with Smithville (2-2) and erased a 2-0 deficit and came out with its first win of the season on a go-ahead homer by Garrison Mertz in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out on the board, the Trojan converted on a line drive over center field to put Park Hill up 3-2.
Mertz was also pitching and after walking the first Warrior batter, the Trojan defense stood tall and forced three consecutive outs to complete the comeback victory.
Smithville scored one run in the third and fourth innings to take an early advantage. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kaeden Pak and Aidan Walter were walked with Jaxon Miller having a double in between to load the bases.
Two batters later, Tyson Kiser doubled on a line drive and Park Hill tied the game. The Trojans and Warriors have matched up in the Kansas City Metro Lead-Off Tournament five times since 2017 with Park Hill winning three of the five games.
The win over Smithville was the first win under Davis, who has been on the Park Hill coaching staff in the past years. The Trojans have three more games scheduled in the tournament before their home opener against Fort Osage (0-1) on March 24.