Trevor Lamar’s complete game effort helped North Platte get back into the KCI Conference win column.
On Tuesday, May 2, the junior right-hander struck out nine and allowed just one earned run in a 3-2 victory for the Panthers at Dean Park in Dearborn, Mo. They won both league matchups with Plattsburg this season.
Remington Wilson hit a two-run double in the bottom of the third to put North Platte up 3-0. It was just the second hit for the Panthers overall and their last.
Four walks helped North Platte make the most of limited scoring opportunities.
Hunter Oliver and Caine Huffman each had a walk and scored a run, while Holden Love reached on an error with courtesy runner Blake Gibson coming around to score on Wilson’s double. Lamar allowed three hits and three walks with Plattsburg plating single runs in the top of the fifth and sixth to close within 3-2 late.
North Platte, which finished the regular season 8-9 overall and 3-9 in KCI play, earned the No. 4 seed for the Class 2 District 16 tournament and opens Thursday, May 11 against Crest Ridge in Concordia, Mo. The winner advances to face No. 1 seed Lone Jack in a semifinal scheduled for Monday, May 15.
Mid-Buchanan 11, West Platte 1, 6 innings
The Dragons earned a walkoff win, scoring in five of six innings in a KCI matchup Tuesday, May 2 in Faucett, Mo.
West Platte fell behind 3-0 after the first inning and 5-0 after two before getting one back in the third. Jasper Basel hit a two-out single to centerfield to plate Kyle Tabaka, who led off with a double against Noah McClanahan. The Bluejays stranded two runners in the inning and ended up with just four hits total.
Mid-Buchanan 14, North Platte 2, 5 innings
The KCI leaders put up seven in the top of the first inning on the way to a runaway victory Thursday, May 4 at Dean Park in Dearborn, Mo.
North Platte trailed 13-0 before plating two unearned runs scored by Wilson and Mark Fisher in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Panthers committed four errors, leading to four unearned runs for Mid-Buchanan.
Lathrop 14, West Platte 3
The Bluejays lost a fourth straight in league play, committing five errors Thursday, May 4 at Benner Park in Weston, Mo.
Lathrop scored seven unearned runs and put up at least one run in every inning against West Platte pitchers Gavin Davis and Nathan Plummer. The Bluejays were within 4-2 after scoring twice in the bottom of the third but didn’t score their final run until the bottom of the sixth.
In the third, two walks and a single loaded the bases with one out. Davis plated Phillip Pattison with a single, and Grant Eagen added an RBI fielder’s choice. The potential tying runs were stranded.
In the sixth, Noah Johnson singled home senior Alec Carson after his one-out double.
East Buchanan 18, West Platte 8. 6 innings
A 12-run third inning gave the Bulldogs the cushion needed, and they ended up with a walkoff win Monday, May 8 in Gower, Mo.
West Platte led 2-1 entering the bottom of the third because of Johnson’s two-out, bases-loaded, two-run single in the second. However, the Bluejays used two pitchers in the third, issuing five walks, hitting two batters and committing an error.
Johnson added a two-run double in the fourth and scored on Connor McNair’s groundout. In the fifth, Johnson singled in two to finish with six RBIs and scored West Platte’s final run on a groundout.
West Platte finished the regular season at 6-9 (3-9 KCI) and opens Class 2 District 16 play Thursday, May 11 against Wellington-Napoleon at 6 p.m. in Concordia, Mo.
Lathrop 16, North Platte 1, 5 innings
The Mules scored 11 runs in the first two innings and held on for a KCI win Monday, May 8 in Lathrop, Mo. Hunter Oliver drove in North Platte’s lone run with a double in the third to bring home Jacob Oliver, who had a single for the Panthers’ only other hit.