For the first time since 2016, the West Platte baseball team got off to a 4-0 start to the season.
That 2016 team was the last Blue Jays baseball team to win a district title. Nine years later, West Platte is looking to get back to a deep postseason run under first-year head coach Brian Faulkner.
After a 15-8 finish last season, in which Faulkner served as an assistant coach, the early signs this year show great promise.
“I think these guys have the discipline to put us in the right spot at the right time and play smart baseball,” Faulkner said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything better from these guys as far as playing as a team.”
The Blue Jays pitching started stellar after Jaxon Turner threw a complete-game shutout in a 1-0 victory against South Holt. West Platte continued to pitch well to get a 6-3 win against King City and a decisive 9-1 triumph over East Buchanan in the conference opener on March 27.
In walk-off fashion, the Blue Jays won their fourth straight against Rock Port in the opener of the West Platte Invitational on March 29. Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, junior Jaxon Davis hit an RBI single up the middle to knock in the tying run before a third strike got past the catcher to allow Jhett Chandler to score the winning run.
West Platte’s winning streak was upended later that afternoon as they suffered a 6-0 defeat against Chillicothe. Some defensive lapses opened the door for Chillicothe to inflict further damage while the Blue Jays could not unlock offensive rallies, leaving the bases loaded in the second inning.
“These guys have a special talent in terms of their leadership and their ability to contribute as great teammates,” Faulkner said. “We didn’t give our best to Chillicothe, but I’m proud of these guys and we’ll keep building.”
Faulkner is building a group focused on team culture and playing fundamental baseball. They will rely on leadership from their upperclassmen, but some talented underclassmen will also contribute.
The Blue Jays will get back to work with a pair of road trips as they visit North Andrew on April 2 and a conference matchup against Lawson on April 3.