KCI softball roundup: Stanberry snaps North Platte’s winning streak

Visiting Stanberry snapped North Platte’s winning streak with a 2-0 win on Monday, Sept. 16 at Dean Park in Dearborn.

The Bulldogs scored a run in the first and another in the fourth to pick up the win, despite being outhit by North Platte (6-2).

The Panthers, winners of four straight, had two hits in the bottom of the sixth but a caught stealing and a double play ended the rally.

In the second inning, Alex Stewart led off with a double but was left at third base after a strikeout ended the inning.

North Platte had two hits in the first inning as well, but an interference call led to the second out of the inning and a strikeout ended that threat as well.

Olivia Rodgers and Jaylin Burgess had two hits for North Platte.

West Platte Tournament

The Bluejays went a perfect 3-0 during their home tournament on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Weston.

West Platte blanked each of the three teams it played: North Kansas City, Raytown South and St. Pius X.

West Platte beat Raytown South, 11-0, thanks to a seven-run fourth inning that put an exclamation point on the win.

Emily VaNatta had a two-run double and Colby Shepardson had a two-run triple in the final inning for the Bluejays (7-3). That was two of the four extra base hits by West Platte, with Laura Hill adding a double and triple. Hill and Lydia Davis each had two hits for West Platte.

Karah Dunham struck out six in the win and also stole home and had an RBI at the plate.

West Platte picked up a 10-0 win against North Kansas City behind a two-hitter by Dunham, who struck out six in the win.

The offense scored at least two runs in each of the four innings it batted.

Lydia Davis scored the first run on a steal of home and added an RBI single in her second at-bat. She had a two-run single in the third, which made it 6-0. Hailey Shepardson followed with an RBI single and Dunham drew a bases-loaded walk.

Davis’ fourth RBI was a single in the fourth. She was 4-for-4 at the plate, while VaNatta, Melanie Waters and Hannah Kleman had two hits each.

VaNatta threw a two-hitter in a win against Pius and struck out four in three innings of work.

West Platte scored seven runs in the first two innings to set the stage for the run-rule victory.

Hailey Shepardson had a two-run triple to highlight the first inning. Laura Hill provided a two-run triple in the second by Hailey Shepardson had a three-run triple to make it 13-0.

Other games

East Buchanan 10, West Platte 9

The sixth inning featured eight runs but the five by the Bulldogs became the difference in a one-run victory on Thursday, Sept. 12 in Weston.

The lead changed hands in the top and bottom of the first and second inning, but West Platte jumped ahead 6-3 early in the KCI Conference clash. East Buchanan pulled within 6-5 after five innings before the five-run top of the sixth gave the Bulldogs their second lead of the game.

West Platte, down 10-6, rallied in the bottom of the sixth to get within one and in the seventh inning had a chance to tie the game.

Lydia Davis walked to open the frame and Hailey Shepardson walked with one out. A double steal moved the two into scoring position but a strikeout ended the game.

In the sixth inning, Emily VaNatta was hit by a pitch to force in a run before an error brought home another run. Melanie Waters drew a bases-loaded walk but two strikeouts ended the scoring threat with the bases loaded.

Karah Dunham had three hits, while Hailey Shepardson had two hits for West Platte.

North Platte 10, South Holt 9

In a slugfest at Dean Park in Dearborn, North Platte withstood a late rally by the visiting Knights to win on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

North Platte built a 10-4 lead before South Holt scored a run in the sixth and four more in the top of the seventh to make it close.

The Lady Panthers were down 2-0 when they came to bat in the bottom of the first but Jaylin Burgess grounded out to bring home a run and Jordyn Smith hit a solo home run to tie the game.

Smith had an RBI triple in the next inning, as the Panthers scored four runs. Olivia Rodgers and Gracie Ramsey also drove in runs, while Loren Patee stole home.

Burgess had a two-run triple and scored on Smith’s RBI groundout in the fifth, making it 10-4.

South Holt had the bases loaded in the top of the seventh before Smith got a line drive to end the game.

Rodgers and Ramsey each had three hits, while Burgess and Smith had two each. The top four batters in the lineup had 10 of the Panthers’ 14 hits and had all nine RBIs.

West Platte 18, St. Michael’s 0

The Bluejays needed only four innings to end this game early against the Guardians on Tuesday, Sept. 10 in Lee’s Summit.

West Platte scored five in the first, followed by three in each of the next two innings and put a punctuation on the win with seven in the fourth inning.

Hailey Shepardson had a three-run inside-the-park-home run in the first inning. Karah Dunham had a three-run double in the fourth inning.

Dunham and Emily VaNatta combined on a 1-hitter on the mound. VaNatta fanned five in three innings and Dunham struck out the side in the fourth.

At the plate, West Platte had only six hits and no one had more than one as St. Michael’s walked 15 and had three errors. Dunham and Laura Hill scored four runs each, while Shepardson scored three times.

North Platte 10, DeKalb 4

The Panthers continued their winning ways with a win in DeKalb on Monday, Sept. 9.

North Platte scored all 10 runs in the first three innings but played an entire seven innings after the Tigers scored twice in the fourth to avoid the mercy rule loss.

An eight-run second inning featured RBIs from Gracie Ramsey (single), Carly Hilton (two-run single) and Scarlett Sluganz (three-run homer).

Hilton added a third RBI with a single in the third. Ramsey and Hilton had three hits, while Alex Stewart and Sluganz had two apiece.

Jordyn Smith got the win for North Platte, giving up nine hits and four runs over seven innings.

Up Next

West Platte: The Bluejays will host North Platte on Thursday, Sept. 19, before home games against Stewartsville on Sept. 23 and DeKalb on Sept. 24.

North Platte: The Panthers will travel to Savannah on Sept. 23 and host North Andrew on Sept. 24.