Following a slow start, Platte County pulled away for a Suburban Conference Blue Division win Thursday, Sept. 14 in Grandview, Mo.
Platte County ended up with 17 hits in the 12-2 win over Grandview but didn’t score until the top of the third when sophomore Paige Rocha doubled and scored on junior Taylor Farr’s single. Shayla Kohler added an RBI double, and Grace Heater capped a three-run inning with a single to left scoring Kohler.
Grandview cut Platte County’s lead to 4-2 with both of its runs off of freshman Emma Koeneke, who went all seven innings and allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out eight, in the bottom of the fourth.
Platte County added one in the fifth and then five in the sixth to make it 10-2. Kohler had another RBI double, while Hayden Humes pinch hit and contributed a two-run single for the Pirates.
Rocha and Farr hit back-to-back two-out doubles in the sixth, and Kohler hit her third RBI double to bring in the Pirates’ 12th run.
Platte County improved to 14-4 overall and remained unbeaten in Blue Division play. The Pirates were scheduled to play Winnetonka on Monday, Sept. 18, but the game was postponed due to weather.
That led to a schedule of three Blue Division games in three days for Platte County: vs. Kearney on Tuesday, Sept. 19 (result not available), at Winnetonka on Wednesday, Sept. 20 and vs. Raytown South on Thursday, Sept. 21.
Platte County 9, Oak Park 2
Rocha’s four hits propelled the Pirates to a nonconference win Wednesday, Sept. 13 in Kansas City, Mo.
Platte County pulled away with three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings after leading 3-0 early. The first two batters reached in the sixth with Janessa Barmann doubling and scoring on Koeneke’s bunt.
Koeneke then scored on Rocha’s double to centerfield, and Rocha came home on Halle Magee’s single to make it 6-1.
In the seventh, Erickson and Barmann had back-to-back doubles before Koeneke hit her third home run of the season to score two more and make it 9-1. Koeneke gave up one run in 2 2/3 innings of relief, while sophomore Gracie Erickson allowed four hits and one run in 4 1/3 innings to earn the win.
Rocha went 4-for-5 with two runs scored, tripling to lead off the game and scoring on Farr’s triple six pitches later for Platte County. Rocha then doubled home Stephanie Carroll (2-for-3, two runs) in the second.
The lead hit 3-0 in the third after Rocha singled with two outs. Carroll scored on an error on the play.