Even if the opposition decided to start pitching around Bryli Seifert, the alternatives don’t offer much relief.
Platte County senior left fielder Lillian Talbot swings at a pitch against Savannah on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
Platte County’s potent lineup continues to hit in front of and behind the star senior shortstop an increasingly impressive start. The Pirates’ 13-3 six-inning walkoff victory Wednesday night at Platte County High School included Seifert’s eighth and ninth home runs of 2026, giving her the program’s single-season record after just 10 games.
Seifert’s slash line currently sits at a seemingly impossible .875 batting average with .902 on-base and slugging percentages.
Couple with wins over William Chrisman the day before and Truman the day after, Platte County improved to 10-1 overall with the first of two pivotal rematches with Grain Valley looming. The Pirates’ lone loss came to Grain Valley in the season-opening Greater Kansas City Suburban Tournament.
Already committed to continue her career at the Division I level with LSU, Seifert tied TK Lawson’s single-season home run record of eight with a two-out, two-run shot in the bottom of the third against Savannah, extending Platte County’s lead to 11-0. She broke the mark set in 2002 with a solo home run int he fifth, again with two outs.
Platte County came up in the bottom of the sixth up nine and then created another two-run rally. Eva Bane, a sophomore catcher, reached with a single, and an error extended the inning before senior center fielder Kelly Bullano loaded the bases with an infield single.
Platte County junior infielder Kinleigh Howren swings at a pitch against Savannah on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
With the winning run at third, Platte County junior second baseman Kinleigh Howren, who this week announced her commitment to Division I Louisville, followed with a game-winning single to left field to score junior courtesy runner Lacy Hayes. The Pirates finished with 15 hits, and Seifert went 3-for-3 with a walk and five RBIs, adding a double.
“We knew Savannah was going to be a good team. They come out with a lot of fight,” Seifert said. “Before this game, they were undefeated so we knew we had to come out and play a good game. We came out and hit; we came out and fielded like we were supposed to. Reagan threw a great game, so I think it went the way it should’ve went.”
Howren, Bane, Bullano and senior pitcher Reagan Ball all added two hits apiece for Platte County, which scored six in the first.
Ball pitched six innings and allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two. She opened with a 1-2-3 top of the first, and Howren led off the bottom of the frame for the Pirates with a double.
The first nine batters reached base with Seifert starting Platte County’s scoring with a two-run double before scoring on a double from sophomore first baseman Gracelyn Shippee. A Savannah error increased the Pirates’ lead to 5-0, and Bane capped the initial outburst with a run-scoring single.
Platte County sophomore catcher Eva Bane swings at a pitch against Savannah on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
In the second, Seifert led off with a walk and quickly scored on a dropped fly ball. Ball then hit a two-run home run, her fourth of the season.
Savannah eventually closed within 11-3 to initially avoid a run-rule loss but never slowed down Platte County’s offense. The Pirates have already hit 20 home runs total with senior left fielder Lillian Talbot (three), Howren (two), Shippee (one) and Bullano (one) the other contributors.
Platte County travels to Grain Valley on Monday and Belton on Thursday in two games that will be big in determining this season’s Suburban Conference White Division title.
In the first Missouri High School Fastpitch Coaches Association poll of the season, Platte County came in at No. 3 in Class 4, while Belton sits at No. 8. Grain Valley (13-0) ranks tied for first with Troy (Buchanan) in Class 5.
Platte County has lost three straight in the series with Grain Valley and nine of the past 10 overall. The lone win in that stretch dating to 2022 came in the 2024 season.
Platte County 20, William Chrisman 0, 3 innings
The Pirates entered the Savannah game after posting 19 hits to win their conference opener Tuesday in Independence.
Platte County senior outfielder Kelly Bullano swings at a pitch against Savannah on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
Hayes threw a three-inning perfect game with eight strikeouts for Platte County, which also benefited from 10 errors. The Pirates scored just once in the top of the first when Talbot hit a single to center and then came around to score on a costly error.
Bullano’s three-run inside-the-park home run and Seifert’s two-run home run to center were the big hits for Platte County in the second. The Pirates batted 18 in the inning with Hayes helping her own case with an RBI triple, while Seifert drove in three total in her two at-bats.
Ball led off the top of the third with a triple, and Platte County freshman third baseman Caroline Reynolds brought her home with a single. Hayes, Bullano and Howren then added consecutive run-scoring hits — two singles and a triples — before Seifert collected the final RBI with a triple.
Howren, Talbot, Seifert, Ball and Bullano all finished with three hits, while Reynolds and Hayes added two apiece.
Platte County senior Reagan Ball delivers a pitch against Savannah on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
Platte County 14, Truman 4, 5 innings
The Pirates improved to 2-0 in conference play, scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth for another walkoff victory Thursday at Platte County High School.
Talbot ended up with three of Platte County’s seven doubles, while Shippee went 4-for-4 with another and drove in three runs. Ball didn’t have a strikeout but pitched five innings and earned the win, allowing only two earned runs with the Pirates falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first.
Platte County actually didn’t draw even until the bottom of the third when Shippee’s RBI single leveled the score at 4-4. The Pirates then scored 10 in the fifth after Talbot led off with a double, and Reynolds scored her and advanced to third while reaching on an attempted sacrifice bunt.
One of four Truman errors allowed Talbot to go first to home, while Reynolds ended up at third base. She scored on Seifert’s double that came on the next pitch.
Singles from Shippee and Bane sandwiched around a double for Ball and a run-scoring passed ball increased Platte County’s lead to 9-4. The Pirates put the run-rule into effect with RBI singles from Bullano and Seifert and RBI doubles for Reynolds and Shippee, who provided the walkoff hit.
