Drew Aggus
Special to the Citizen
The Platte County Pirates were unable to notch a victory in the competitive September Slam Tournament on Friday, Sept. 27.
After starting the season 12-3, the Lady Pirates lost all three games in pool play at the tournament, which was held in Liberty. However, tournament play beyond pool play never occurred, because the field conditions were too pool-like following a long night of storms.
Despite the winless tournament, Pirates coach Callie Peoples was glad to have the opportunity for the team to keep improving.
“We get to play more games, get more reps and more at-bats, and we get more opportunities to work on things that we need to work on that we might not get to do in the week,” Peoples said.
DREW AGGUS/Special to the Citizen
Platte County’s Halle Magee, right, high fives coach Callie Peoples after hitting a home run against Troy Buchanan on Friday, Sept. 27 in the September Slam Tournament in Liberty.
Truman 5, Platte County 0
In the Pirates’ first game of pool play, they were only able to rattle off two hits against the Truman Patriots, courtesy of Madison Carter and Wichita State commit Paige Rocha.
Both hits occurred in the first inning.
In the top of the third, the Lady Pirates walked in a run, which was closely followed by the Patriots’ Kennedy Rucker stealing home.
After finding themselves up 2-0, the Patriots never looked back.
Truman scored three more runs between the sixth and seventh innings.
Reaching on an error, a walk and a hit by pitch, the Pirates were able to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh. However, with just one out remaining, Madison Shields struck out to end the game.
Truman pitcher Myel White pitched the entire seven-inning game, allowing zero earned runs, only two hits and striking out 14 batters. White also hit a two-run homer in the sixth.
Troy Buchanan 12, Platte County 2
In Platte County’s second game of pool play, its batters were still limited to just two hits, but this time, they were able to score two runs, as well.
In the second inning of a brief five-inning game, Halle Magee hit a one-run home run to center field. In the third, Gracie Erickson scored after tagging up on a sac fly from Paige Rocha, putting the Pirates up 2-0.
Platte County would not get another hit.
Troy Buchanan came back hot, scoring five runs in the bottom of the third to give them a 5-2 advantage, and the Trojans would hold on to that lead. They scored three more runs in the fourth inning and four runs in the fifth to end the ball game.
Trojans coach Lance Richardson was energized by his team’s performance and impressed by how strong their pitching and fielding was throughout the game.
“Our defense has been solid this year for us,” Richardson said. “We’re proud of them.”
Trojan junior Bella Wilson had herself a three-RBI game, while four Troy Buchanan players had multi-hit games.
Ozark 15, Platte County 2
In Platte County’s final game of pool play, they were able to get nine hits but gave up 15 runs in a blowout loss to Ozark.
The Tigers got on the board first, scoring one run in the second, third and fourth innings.
Platte County was able to respond relatively quickly. In the bottom of the fifth, Chloe Helmer scored on a single from Gracie Erickson, leaving the Pirates behind by just two runs. But Ozark fired back with a two-run blast in the top of the sixth with another run following shortly after.
The Pirates were unable to score in the bottom of the sixth, and the Tigers scorched Platte County in the top of the seventh with nine runs, capped off by a two-run homer at the end of the inning, putting Ozark up 15-1.
Mackenzie Shields was able to hit a home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh, but Platte County would not get another hit.
Pirate third baseman Paige Rocha went 3-for-3 in the game, but was unable to bat in any runs or score, herself. Platte County pitcher Helmer pitched the entire game.
Peoples relished the opportunity to play teams that the Pirates don’t usually play. She is also looking forward to the team’s growth following the September Slam as districts approach.