Looking to make it back to a district championship, the West Platte baseball team (9-12) had some offensive woes and were knocked out of the postseason with a 7-2 loss to Plattsburg (21-12) at Perkins Park on May 16.
West Platte senior Xavier Reynolds flips the ball to Kane Cogan in the Blue Jays’ 7-2 loss to Plattsburg in the Class 2 District 15 Tournament at Perkins Park on May 16.
Plattsburg was the reigning Class 2 District 15 Champions – and eventually repeated – and matched up with West Platte in the semifinals. The No. 2 seed took control early against the No. 3 seed and never looked back.
Putting two runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning, the Tigers scored one run in three straight innings to extend the lead to 5-0 through five innings. The Blue Jays only had one hit up to that point.
West Platte finally got on the board in the top of the sixth inning, with two of the first three batters getting out. Cohen Kite and Xavier Reynolds were walked to put a pair of runners on base when Ezra Stigman stepped up to the plate.
The senior delivered, connecting on a hit to center field and got as far as third base, sending the two runners home. The triple helped chip at the deficit, making the score 5-2, but Gunner Smith grounded out in the next at-bat.
Jaxon Turner came in to pitch for Reynolds and he hit two batters in the inning and gave up two hits, resulting in two Tiger runs. The Blue Jays went into the seventh inning trailing 7-2 with one last chance to keep their season alive.
Turner was the first batter and had three straight foul balls, with the third being tipped and caught by the Plattsburg catcher. Kane Cogan struck out looking and Matthew Cook struck out swinging, giving West Platte three outs and ending the game.
The Blue Jays’ postseason run fell one game shy of a district championship. West Platte won its opening game 5-1 against Carrollton (4-18) on May 12.
Jhett Chandler singled and Reynolds doubled to start off strong in the bottom of the first inning. Stigman hit a ground ball to the shortstop and reached first base on an error, sending Chandler home and putting West Platte up 1-0 early.
The Trojans tied the game in the top of the third inning and the Blue Jays followed that up with a big fifth inning with four hits, including two doubles. Kite started the strong offensive downpour with a single.
Following a fielder’s choice to put one out on the board, Reynolds and Stigman had back-to-back doubles to score a pair of runs. Smith had a sacrifice fly and West Platte went up 4-1.
The Blue Jays added to the lead with another run in the bottom of the sixth inning and held off the Trojans in the final inning. Reynolds had two hits and Stigman had seven strikeouts.