Dublin Carnahan and Luke Heili delivered crucial hits to help West Platte to an 11-8 KCI and season-opening victory over Lawson on Thursday, March 21 in Lawson, Mo.
Carnahan broke an 8-8 deadlock with a two-run double to left field in the sixth, scoring Heili and Nathan Plummer for the Bluejays. Heili added an insurance run with an RBI single through the left side of the infield in the seventh.
Gavin Davis registered the win after allowing one unearned run on one hit in the fifth inning. Wyatt Kleman notched a two-inning save, recording four strikeouts and allowing just one hit and zero runs.
The Bluejays plated two in the first and three in the second to take an early 5-1 lead. Lawson cut the lead to 5-3 with a two-run third before West Platte plated three in the fifth for an 8-3 advantage.
Lawson responded with a five-spot in the bottom half of the fifth to knot the score at 8-all. But Carnahan and Heili and Davis and Kleman were up for the task, taking over in the final two innings for the win.
The Bluejays outhit Lawson 10-4.
West Platte played at Bishop LeBlond on Tuesday, March 26, but the result was unavailable before press time. The Bluejays host North Platte at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
East Buchanan 4, North Platte 0
East Buchanan scored all four runs in the final two innings to down North Platte on Thursday, March 21 in Gower, Mo.
In what served as North Platte’s season and KCI opener, the Panthers were limited to seven hits by two East Buchanan pitchers.
Blake Gibson and Joel Smyser both registered two-hit days for North Platte. Caine Huffman added a double.
Jacob Oliver took the tough-luck loss after allowing one earned run on two hits across 5 1/3 innings. He registered 10 strikeouts and issued five walks.
Huffman surrendered three runs — two earned — on three hits in 1/3 innings of relief. He struck out four batters and walked two.
The Panthers face North Andrew at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27 in Rosendale, Mo. North Platte is at West Platte at 4:30 the following day in Weston.