Brennan McLaughlin turned in a career-best pitching performance in a crucial scenario against rival Kearney.
However, an unearned run resulted in Platte County’ star senior taking the loss Friday night. The Bulldogs held on for a 1-0 victory at Kearney High School in an important result for upcoming seeding of the Class 5 District 8 bracket.
Both teams finished with only two hits, and McLaughlin struck out 13 and walked just two, needing only 91 pitches to navigate six innings.
Kearney (15-7) scored the only run in the bottom of the fifth after a pair of singles off McLaughlin. The second, a bloop to center field put runners on second and third with two outs, and senior Austin Haggart scored two pitches later on a passed ball.
McLaughlin struck out three in the inning and then the final three batters he faced in the seventh, as well.
Platte County put a runner on in both the top of the sixth on a two-out error and seventh on senior first baseman Andrew Edsall’s walk. Kearney senior Cale Davis recorded a strikeout to stay out of trouble in the first scenario, but exited due to pitch count with one out in the seventh.
Kearney junior Evan McDaniel worked the final 2/3 of an inning, including a popout and then picking off junior pinch-runner Brandon Reynolds to end the game.
Neither team had a runner until Platte County sophomore center fielder Ben Burnich walked with two outs in the top of the third. McLaughlin worked around a pair of two-out free passes in the bottom of the frame to keep the scoreless tie, and the Pirates never ended up with a runner in scoring position despite a pair of hits in the fifth.
Platte County senior second baseman Owen Bane singled with two outs but ended up thrown out at the plate when sophomore third baseman Nolan Sipes doubled to center field on the next pitch. Kearney actually missed the cutoff man on the play, but sophomore second baseman Cade Holder managed to make an offline throw home, and senior catcher Gabe Newton caught the ball and reached back in to tag out Bane.
With a second straight loss, Platte County dropped to 12-10 overall, and the defending Class 5 state champions likely lost out on the top seed for districts. The Pirates were the No. 2 last year but advanced into the playoffs before winning a second title in a span of four seasons.
Truman 3, Platte County 2
The Pirates suffered their first loss in Suburban Conference White Division play on senior night Wednesday at Platte County High School.
Truman spoiled the proceedings, taking a 3-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth and then holding on late. The Patriots managed just five hits total off of of four senior pitchers — Trent Belcher (two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings), Lucas Dillingham (one strikeout in one inning), Zach Brown (four strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings) and Bane (two strikeouts in one scoreless inning).
Both of Truman’s runs in the fifth were unearned due to a passed ball and a two-out error.
Platte County’s best shot at a comeback came in the bottom of the sixth when McLaughlin led off with a single. Edsall walked with two outs, and a stray pickoff attempt scored McLaughlin after he had stolen second and third. Reynolds, pinching-running for Edsall, came home on junior catcher Tate Archer’s groundout to first to pull the Pirates within 3-2.
Sipes singled with two outs but didn’t advance, and Platte County couldn’t manufacture a run off of junior left fielder Matt Cisco’s two-out double in the seventh. Truman intentionally walked McLaughlin, and senior designated hitter Ian Gold grounded out to second to end the game.
Platte County 15, Fort Osage 6
McLaughlin went 3-for-5 and drove in six runs, while Sipes’ grand slam for his first career home run put an exclamation point on Monday’s win in Independence.
Platte County led 2-0 early but trailed 6-1 before a 10-run sixth made for a dramatic and conclusive comeback in a White Division matchup. McLaughlin’s three-run double in the fourth capped a two-out rally that started with Burnich’s double then a walk for sophomore second baseman Beckett and a hit by pitch for Cisco.
McLaughlin came up with the bases loaded and belted a double to left field, but he ended up stranded in scoring position with Fort Osage still leading 6-5.
In the sixth, Burnich and Cisco walked around a sacrifice bunt from Hall.
McLaughlin’s RBI single brought Platte County back even at 6-6, and back-to-back walks for Gold and Edsall forced in the go-ahead run. After a run scored on an error, the Pirates went up six runs on Sipes’ grand slam to center.
Hall later added an RBI double with two outs, and two batters later after a walk from Cisco, McLaughlin doubled home two more to cap the scoring.
Brown ended up earning the win with two scoreless innings of relief while Belcher finished the game by working around a hit in the seventh. Platte County used four pitchers with junior Brock Dye tagged for five runs in two-plus innings and Bane giving up another in the Indians’ five-run third.
Platte County led 2-0 in the top of the second after a two-run, two-out triple from Hall, who went 2-for-3 with a walk from the leadoff spot. The Pirates finished with 12 hits, including three apiece for Sipes and McLaughlin.
Cisco scored three times, while Hall, Sipes, Burnich and junior right fielder Devin Lumm cross the plate twice each.
