KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Park Hill and Platte County needed extra innings in both games of a doubleheader to determine the outcome on Saturday, May 5, at Park Hill High School.
The Trojans won the opening game, 7-6, in 9 innings, while the Pirates salvaged a split with two runs in the eighth inning to win 5-3.
The opening game featured a pair of five-run frames but a walk-off in the ninth lifted the Trojans to a victory.
Park Hill got a one-out walk by Corey Bradford in the ninth and Liam Henry was walked intentionally. On the second pitch of his at-bat, Grant Mertz lined a ball to center field and Bradford scored the game-winner.
The offense production for each team paralleled each other.
Platte County took a 1-0 lead in the first on Colby Sneed’s double. The Trojans plated five runs in the bottom of the first, with RBI going to Mertz, Henry and Joe Daneff.
Pitching woes by Park Hill allowed the Pirates to take a 6-5 lead in the top of the fourth.
Trent Rueckert and Sneed drew bases-loaded walks, while Hunter Cox was hit by a pitch to force the final run of the frame. A wild pitch allowed Dayton Mitchell to score, while Dalton Riechers hit a sac fly in the inning.
Daneff hit an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-6.
Henry, an Arkansas signee, went 4-for-4 for the Trojans, with a pair of doubles.
In the second game, the Pirates scored two runs in the top of the seventh forced a tie and then added two more runs in the top of the eighth to surge ahead.
Platte County got four straight singles in the top of the frame to break a 3-3 tie — all with two outs.
Hunter Tongate got the rally started and Trent Rueckert followed with a single.
Ethan Esdohr singled in the game-winning run and Sneed added an insurance run on his single in the eighth.
The lead was the first for the Pirates since Max Hunter’s sac fly in the first inning.
Park Hill got a single from Ryan Kiser that brought the tying run to the plate with two outs, but a line drive out ended the contest.
The Trojans took a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning on Henry’s bases-clearing single, but Park Hill gave up two runs in the top of the seventh that forced extra innings.
An error allowed the Pirates to pull within a run and Riechers’ sac fly tied the game, bringing home courtesy runner Rhett Spell.
Park Hill had the game-winning run at third base in the bottom half of the inning, but a grounder brought on extra innings.
Esdohr had three hits, while Hunter, Sneed and Rueckert all had two for the Pirates. Mertz went 3-for-4, while Josenberger had a pair of hits for the Trojans.
Riechers earned the win for the Pirates, throwing 3 1/3 innings of relief.
Camdenton 7, Park Hill South 6
Camdenton 12, Park Hill South 6
The Panthers lost both sides of a doubleheader on Saturday, May 5 at Camdenton, Mo.
Park Hill South lost via the walkoff in the first game after recording two quick outs in the seventh inning. The Lakers then pounced with a double and a single to right field which got past the Panthers Brock Ivy and allowed the winning run to come in from second base without a throw.
In the second half of the twin bill Park Hill South took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning before surrendering nine straight runs to Camdenton. Jack Beuerlein, Malik Stevenson and Xavier Hammond collected the Panthers three RBIs.
Platte County 16, Grandview 3, 6 innings
The Pirates scored at least one run in five innings to help end the Suburban Conference Blue Division game early on Friday, May 4, in Grandview, Mo.
The Pirates pounded out 14 hits and never trailed against the Bulldogs after Max Hunter hit a two-run double in the first inning. Trent Rueckert hit a sac fly and Ethan Esdohr scored after he singled, moved up on balk, stole a base and then scored on a wild pitch.
Platte County, up 5-1, plated five runs in the fourth inning to blow the game open. Dayton Mitchell had a two-run single, while Hunter and Esdohr added RBI as well.
The Pirates reached the run-rule limit with a six-run sixth — half coming on Hunter Tongate’s double.
Mitchell (hit by pitch) and Hunter (single) added to their RBI total — each driving in four.
Hunter and Esdohr each had three hits for the Pirates.
Park Hill South 15, St. Joseph Central 10, 8 innings
The Panthers jumped out to a 7-0 lead and then broke the game open with a six-run eighth inning to pull out a win on the road on Friday, May 4.
Park Hill South, up 1-0 in the first, plated six runs in the second inning to build a seemingly comfortable margin against the Indians in a Suburban Conference Red Division game. Malik Stevenson had a two-run double for the Panthers, while Xavier Hammond (single) and Kriss Davis (walk) also had RBI in the frame.
Central rallied and tied the game at 7 on Zack Kanatzar’s double, but he was thrown out by Dylan Hufft trying to stretch it into a triple.
Park Hill South got back-to-back doubles by Alex Rodriguez and Billy Eggers to give the road team a 9-7 lead in the top of the seventh, but Alex Caudill’s two-out, two-run double forced extra innings.
A second six-run frame gave the Panthers a lead they didn’t lose.
Dawson Owen reached on an error and then Hammond and Dominic Scuderio had back-to-back bunt singles to load the bases. Davis was hit by a pitch to force in a run and then a wild pitch brought Hammond home.
Stevenson, a Southern University signee, hit a two-run double to make it 13-9. Rodriguez and Hufft added RBI singles to account for the final tally.
Rodriguez finished with five RBI on a pair of hits. Hufft had a team-high three hits.
Rodriguez threw 1 1/3 innings to earn the win in relief for the Panthers.
Excelsior Springs 5, Park Hill 3
The Tigers scored three runs in the top of the seventh to rally for a win on Friday, May 4, at Park Hill High School.
The Trojans needed three outs entering the top of the seventh, but an error allowed the tying run to score. A walk then set up a two-run double by Marco Martin that turned out to be the game-winner.
Park Hill went down in order in the seventh against Austin Creason, who picked up the win.
The Trojans trailed 2-0 when they came to bat in the bottom of the first. Tavian Josenberger drew a leadoff walk and after stealing second, he scored on Corey Bradford’s single.
Liam Henry hit a two-run homer to give the Trojans a 3-2 lead.
Bradford had three hits, while Ryan Lack had a pair for Park Hill.
Belton 5, Platte County 4
The Pirates from Belton picked up a walk-off win against Platte County on Thursday, May 3, at Belton High School.
Zach Pratt hit a one-out double to center field to bring home the winning run.
Platte County forced a 4-all tie with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Trailing 4-1 at that point, Chase James had a one-out single and Colby Sneed walked. That set up Dalton Riecher’s single to cut the deficit in half. Max Hunter, a Pittsburg State signee, tied the game with a two-out, two-run double to center field.
Christian Grissell had the other RBI for the Pirates, driving in a run in the fifth on a fielder’s choice.
Platte County had five hits but no one had more than one.
Platte County 10, North Kansas City 2
Down 2-0 early, the Pirates scored all 10 runs over a three-inning span for a victory on Wednesday, May 2, at Macken Park in Kansas City, Mo.
Platte County gave up two runs in the first but scored four in the top of the second to tie the game and then take the lead. Ethan Esdohr doubled and stole third and on that stolen base attempt, the ball was thrown away and he scored.
Two errors on one play led to the tying run to cross the plate. A wild pitch brought Hunter Tongate home for the go-ahead run and Chase James hit a single to make it 4-2.
The Pirates added four more runs in the third inning to extend the lead against the Hornets.
Runs scored in a sequence of four batters in a row for Platte County. Christian Grissell and Nolan Saale had RBI singles and Tongate hit a sac fly. Trent Rueckert capped the scoring with an RBI single.
Glen Gammill smacked a two-run double in the fourth to account for the final score.
Gammill, Grissell and Reuckert all had two hits for Platte County.
On the mound, Blake Minyard (4 2/3 innings) and Ben Haddix (2 1/3 innings) limited North Kansas City to four hits.
Blue Valley SW 14, Park Hill South 10
The Panthers rallied in the seventh inning, just after the Timberwolves left the potential mercy-rule inducing runner on third base in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Timberwolves led 10-4 entering the frame before Stephon Personelli scored after singling. Dylan Hufft then brought him around with a single to left field which got by the left fielder and rolled to the fence.
In the bottom of the inning Blue Valley sent nine to the plate and scored five runs, including stranding the all-important 10th run in scoring position with one out.
In the seventh Park Hill South added five runs back to provide the final margin. Alex Rodriguez walked to lead off the frame before singles from Xavier Hammond, Billy Eggers and Kriss Davis a bases loaded walk by Hufft and a bases-clearing double from Sam Beuerlein rounded out the scoring.
Blue Springs 7, Park Hill 1
Tied at one after five innings, the Wildcats scored six runs over the final two innings to pick up a win on Wednesday, May 2, at Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo.
Each team scored a run in the third, before Blue Springs rallied for the win.
A passed ball gave Blue Springs an early lead, before two walks set up Liam Henry’s RBI single in the bottom half of the inning for the Trojans.
Blue Springs went up 3-1 on Nick Bradner’s two-run double in the top of the sixth and sealed the win with a two-run triple by Ray Paniagua in the seventh.
Park Hill was limited to four hits by two Blue Springs pitchers: Jake Lufft and Ryan Urfer. Lufft fanned 10 in six innings and gave up two hits and one run.
Ayden Mertz started for the Trojans, but the loss went to Cameron Knight who pitched the sixth and gave up the two runs on Bradner’s double.
Platte County 2, Kearney 1
The Pirates picked up a big Suburban Conference Blue Division win on Tuesday, May 1, at home.
The game was scoreless through five innings and both teams scored in the sixth with the Pirates rallying for the win.
Platte County got a leadoff double from Trent Rueckert in the first but stranded him and then loaded the bases in the second and left them full. A runner made it to third in the third inning, but he was also stranded for the Pirates.
Claytin Noud had an RBI single for the Bulldogs in the top of the sixth to break the shutout.
The Pirates answered, doing so with two outs on the board.
Max Hunter singled and his pinch runner, Rhett Spell, scored when Blake Minyard reached on an error. Nolan Saale had single and Dayton Mitchell then singled to left for the game-winner.
Colby Sneed, Dalton Riechers and Hunter all had two hits for the Pirates.
Ethan Esdohr started for the Pirates, giving up three this in 5 1/3 innings and fanning five. Glen Gammill and Grant Allen threw the final 1 2/3 innings, with Gammill getting the win.
Lee’s Summit West 12, Park Hill 11
In a game full of offense, the Titans had a little bit more despite being outhit in a Suburban Conference Gold Division game on Monday, April 30 in Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Park Hill used a four-run rally in the top of the seventh to pull within a run but couldn’t get any closer.
Grant Mertz and Zayne Morrow singled to open the final inning, down 12-7, and Ryan Lack followed with a two-run double.
Two quick outs followed, but Joe Daneff’s flyout brought home Lack.
Ryan Kiser drew a walk and he scored on Tavian Josenberger’s double. Corey Bradford drew a walk to continue the rally and Liam Henry was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
A groundout ended the game and comeback.
The Trojans one led 7-1 in the contest following a six-run third inning.
Grant Mertz had a two-run single, while Lack, Daneff and Blake Morrow all had RBI singles in the frame.
Lee’s Summit West scored 10 runs between the fourth and fifth innings, seven in the fourth to take command. The seven-run frame featured only two RBI via hits, the others coming on two walks, two errors and a sac fly.
The Trojans had 13 hits, two each by Josenberger, Bradford, Mertz, Lack and Blake Morrow.