Platte County went 1-3 to close the regular season in a two-day trip to the Carthage Invitational this past weekend, entering the postseason with a 14-11 record. The Pirates open Class 3 District 15 play Thursday, Oct. 6 in the semifinals against either Richmond or St. Pius X.
Smithville owns the top seed in the tournament, scheduled for Excelsior Springs, Mo., with Platte County the No. 2. The championship game will be Saturday, Oct. 8.
Platte County lost a little bit of momentum after splitting two games Friday, Sept. 30 in Carthage, Mo. and then losing the final two, including one to Suburban Conference Blue Division foe Belton. The lone win for the Pirates came against Boonville.
In the victory, Platte County put up 13 runs in five innings, scoring five in the first on the way to a 13-3 victory.
Paige Rocha went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while catcher Anna Townsend went a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBIs for the Pirates. Tori Farr scored four times despite just one hit (a triple) and one walk.
Shayla Kohler earned the win, allowing just three runs on five hits and five walks.
Platte County opened with a 6-0 loss to McDonald County, collecting just two hits – singles for Lauren Magee (2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs in the win against Boonville) and Stephanie Carroll. In Saturday’s first game, Belton won 9-4 after scoring eight in the second off of Platte County starter Gracie Erickson.
Rocha provided a highlight with a home run in the third.
Oak Park won the second game on Saturday, Oct. 1 with Erickson taking her third loss of the tournament on the mound. Townsend’s RBI single in the third scored the Pirates lone run in a 9-1 defeat.
Platte County looks to make the playoffs for the second time in three seasons since moving back down to Class 3 from Class 4. In 2014, the Pirates advanced to the state title game before losing to Smithville in last year’s District 15 final.
Platte County 7, Liberty North 6
The Pirates nearly surrendered all three of their leads Thursday, Sept. 29 in Liberty, Mo. before holding on for a big win.
Platte County led 1-0 after the top of the first but immediately gave two runs back before going ahead 3-2 after the top of the fifth. Liberty North came back with one to create another tie before falling behind for good after allowing four in the top of the sixth, including Paige Rocha’s RBI double.
With a 14-7 advantage in hits, Platte County held on for the win even after giving up three in the bottom of the sixth.
Tori Farr finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. She tripled in the fifth and singled in the sixth. Anna Townsend also collected three hits for Platte County and drove in two.
Belton 5, Platte County 3
In the Suburban Conference Blue Division finale, Belton rallied late for a victory Tuesday, Sept. 27 at Platte County High School. Platte County finished 6-4 in league play with Belton and Kearney both earning season sweeps.
Belton scored four times in the top of the sixth to break a scoreless tie, and starting pitcher Madison Hunsaker struck out 15 total to make the late lead stand up. Platte County came back for three runs in the bottom of the sixth on Tori Farr’s RBI single and Townsend’s two-run home run.
Townsend collected two of Platte County’s six hits.
Staley 11, Platte County 0
The defending Class 4 state champions were dominant in a shutout Wednesday, Sept. 28 in Kansas City, Mo.
Staley scored three or more three of four innings to take the run-rule victory with starting pitcher Alana Vawter allowing just two hits and a walk. Farr and Rocha had singles for Platte County in the loss.