Truman played spoiler on repeat late in the season.
In a Suburban Conference Red Division finale Thursday, May 12, the Patriots scored once early and once late to earn a 2-1 win against Park Hill South, denying the Panthers an outright league title. Park Hill South never led in its home finale and dropped to 16-11 overall (7-3 in Red Division play) and saw a five game Red Division win streak end just before the start of district play.
Truman scored an unearned run against starter Jake Evans in the top of the first and plated the winning run in the seventh off of reliever Ryan Hagen.
Both teams collected six hits, and errors played a part in each run that scored. Evans walked Trent Durall in the first, and he moved to second on a single and scored on an error to put the Patriots up 1-0.
Park Hill South evened the score in the fifth after Colin Farrow bunted for a single. Evans followed with a single to left field that ended up going past the left fielder. Farrow scored from first, and Evans ended up at third with no outs.
However, the Panthers were unable to create another run. They stranded a runner in the sixth before going 1-2-3 in the seventh after Truman produced the go-ahead run.
Park Hill South was scheduled to open Class 5 District 16 play Tuesday, May 17 against Oak Park with the winner advancing to play second-seeded Platte County. Park Hill South and Platte County split a pair of meetings during the regular season.
Park Hill 11, St. Joseph Central 3
After losing their shutout, the Trojans scored eight times in the top of the eighth Thursday, May 12 at Phil Welch Stadium in St. Joseph, Mo.
Central scored three in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings, managing just three hits total. Park Hill’s Liam Henry hit a pair of triples and drove in four runs total, helping the Trojans to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first that extended to 3-0 with two more in the fifth.
Henry ended up 4-for-5.
Griffin Fletcher earned the win after coming on to pitch the eighth. Chris Bolte went seven innings and held a shutout until the seventh inning.
Park Hill ended up 6-4 in Red Division play, just a half game out of the tie for first between Park Hill South and Liberty. Park Hill earned the No. 4 seed in District 16 and lost 4-3 to Central in a rematch Tuesday, May 17 in St. Joseph.
For the season, Park Hill finished 13-15 overall.