Park Hill South used two big innings to take a Suburban Conference Red Division win Wednesday, April 26 at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo.
The Panthers took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second with the first five batters reaching base. Billy Eggers and Stephen Personelli singled, and Jackson Dixon hit a two-run double to center field. He scored two batters later on a fielder’s choice.
The other four runs came in the bottom of the sixth, starting with a single for Ryan Hagen. Dixon drove in his third run with a single in the inning.
Hagen started and threw a complete game in 99 pitches, striking out six. He allowed five hits and no walks, but four of the singles came in the seventh, leading to two late runs.
Liberty 4, Park Hill South 2
The Panthers’ late rally came up just short Friday, April 28 in Liberty, Mo.
Down 4-0 going to the top of the seventh, Park Hill South put its first runner on since the second inning when Andrew Aswegan reached on an error to start the inning, and after Eggers’ one-out walk, Personelli singled home the Panthers’ first run. Jake Evans grounded out for the second out, but the inning continued with a walk and a hit by a pitch, which forced in the second run.
With the bases loaded and potential go-ahead run at first, Jake Kline grounded out to end the threat.
Liberty scored an earned run on a groundout against Park Hill South starter Collin Brougham in the bottom of the third. The Blue Jays added two unearned due to a pair of errors in the fourth and added an insurance run on a pair of errors in the sixth.
Park Hill South dropped to 9-13 overall and 3-5 in Red Division play.
Lee’s Summit North 4, Park Hill 3
After scoring three in the first inning, the Broncos held on for a Suburban Conference Gold Division win Friday, April 28 in Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Park Hill (12-9) lost a fifth straight — three in a row in Gold Division play. Lee’s Summit North put five of the first six runners on base against Trojans starter Connor Morehouse, who went four innings and allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out four.
In the top of the fourth, Park Hill closed within 3-1 after Liam Henry tripled and scored on Grant Mertz’s groundball to third base.
Lee’s Summit North plated its final run in the bottom of the fourth, and the 4-1 lead held until the sixth. Park Hill senior shortstop Tyler Watson led off with a single and moved to second on Trevor Guzzo’s walk. Two batters later, Mertz hit a sacrifice fly to score Watson, and Austin Brooks brought in Guzzo with a single.
Down 4-3, Park Hill stranded the tying run at first in the sixth and then stranded pinch-hitter Ryan Lack at first after his two-out walk in the seventh. The Trojans dropped to 2-5 in Gold Division play with the loss — their fifth straight in league dating to April 12.
Blue Springs South 4, Park Hill 3
The Jaguars scored the winning run in the top of the sixth inning of a Suburban Conference Gold Division matchup Wednesday, April 26 at Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo.
After falling behind early, Park Hill twice tied the score but never led. The Trojans manufactured a two-out run in the bottom of the fifth on Henry’s walk with two outs. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored to tie it 3-3 on Mertz’s single to center on a 3-2 count.
A leadoff single against Park Hill starter Ethan Boyd, who went all seven innings, led to the winning run.
Blue Springs South’s Mark Walker stole second and went to third on a sacrifice bunt, scoring on Jackson Rehkow’s grounder with one out. Park Hill stranded Christian Hackworth in scoring position in the sixth but went down in order in the seventh.
Boyd, who struck out five but walked three, gave up two runs in the first.
Park Hill answered with one unearned run in the bottom of the inning after Guzzo’s walk. He came around on an error. The Trojans then tied the score at 2-2 when Henry walked to lead off the bottom of the third and came home on Brooks’ groundout two batters later.