West Platte sophomore Sophie Grier struck out 14 batters and went 3-0 on the mound to help the Lady Blue Jays move to 6-0 on the season after an impressive outing at the Benton Tournament on Sept. 9.
ST. JOSEPH – The Holly Linter era has started off with a bang for the West Platte softball team (6-0) who is undefeated early on this season, most recently winning all three games at the Benton Tournament on Sept. 9.
West Platte took on three schools from St. Joseph and took them all down at the tournament. The Lady Blue Jays kicked the weekend off with a 16-2 win over Benton (3-3).
West Platte scored the first 10 runs in the first two innings and put at least one run on the board in each of the five innings. Emma Downing and Sophie Grier both had four hits each and combined for eight RBIs.
West Platte’s next game was its most competitive one of the year so far, coming away with a 4-2 victory over Bishop LeBlond (2-4) thanks to a 2-RBI double to right field by Addy Hughes in the top of the seventh inning. Morgan VanNatta, Peyton Edmonds and Grier connected with two hits each as the Lady Blue Jays had 10 in the contest.
West Platte ended the Benton Tournament with a 6-3 victory over Lafayette (5-6), which scored all of its runs in the final inning. The Lady Blue Jays went up 6-0 in the second inning and Grier walked away 3-0 on the day as a pitcher striking out 14 total batters.
Before the tournament, West Platte started off 3-0 for the second straight season, having a larger margin of victory than 2022. In the Lady Blue Jays’ first three games, they scored 37 runs and only allowed one.
West Platte kicked off the year with a 17-0 win over St. Pius X (0-7) in four innings on Aug. 29. The Lady Blue Jays erupted for eight runs in the second inning with five hits – two doubles by Edmonds and Liberty Baxter, along with an RBI triple by Hughes – to take control early.
West Platte added six more runs in the ensuing inning with six singles and an RBI double by Hailey Deffenbaugh. The Lady Blue Jays put the game away with three more runs in the top of the fourth inning, as the first contest coached by Holly Listed ended in a mercy rule victory.
West Platte had 17 hits, led by Edmonds and Downing who both had three. Grier was on the mound, striking out eight batters and only allowing two hits.
West Platte’s sole run allowed in its first three games was in the bottom of the fifth inning – after already leading by nine runs – in the 10-1 win over St. Michael the Archangel (4-6) on Aug. 31. Grier had another positive outing, tossing 11 strikeouts.
West Platte started KCI Conference play with a dominant 10-0 triumph over East Buchanan on Sept. 7. The Lady Blue Jays had 12 hits, led by Downing and Remi McColley with three hits and one RBI, while Grier threw a no-hitter and struck out 11 Lady Bulldogs.
This is the best start West Platte has had to a season since beginning the fall of 2014 with a 6-1 record. The Lady Blue Jays will look to continue the strong play against Stewartsville with Osborn (0-5) on Sept. 18.