Edsall’s 2-run homer keys Platte County’s big 1st inning in state semifinal victory

OZARK, Mo. — Platte County’s Andrew Edsall couldn’t help but know the result and might not have thought about the specific reaction.

The junior designated hitter flipped his bat — a bit more enthusiastically than the home plate umpire preferred — after connecting on a pitch in the first inning of Friday’s Class 5 semifinal matchup with Rockwood Summit. His early home run provided the definitive blow of a 6-1 victory at Ozark Mountain Sports Complex, helping propel the Pirates into an opportunity at capturing the program’s third state title and second in a span of four years.

“I realized I flipped (the bat),” Edsall said of his second home run of the season in a debut season with Platte County after moving in from Kearney. “I didn’t know it was going to be a big deal, but that’s on me. Obviously in that moment in time, you don’t really think. You obviously just act and do, but it’s a game.”

Rockwood Summit (26-8) entered having not allowed more than two runs in the postseason and past six games overall.

Platte County hit the mark in the first inning with junior Brennan McLaughlin hitting an RBI double, and Edsall following with a towering two-run home run two batters later to stake the Pirates to an early 3-0 lead. McLaughlin drove in two and also served as starting pitcher, going two scoreless innings as part of another strategic plan designed to pay off in Saturday’s scheduled 1 p.m. championship game.

Keeping two of three pitchers used all under 30 pitches, Platte County (28-8) should have all but junior Brooks Hall available against No. 1-ranked Vianney (39-1) with the Class 5 title on the line.

“Not a lot of people get this opportunity,” Platte County senior Liam Blacklock said. “For me to get it, for our class to get it in senior year, it’s a big deal. We’re all excited. I think we’re ready.”

McLaughlin, sophomore Evan Magnuson and Hall all appeared with only Hall’s closing stretch of three innings putting him over the pitch limit requiring a pitcher to rest at least one day between appearances.

The early run support proved pivotal with Blacklock leading off the bottom of the first inning with a softly hit ball to second base that resulted in an in-between hop and an infield hit. He moved to second on an errant pickoff throw from Rockwood Summit senior catcher Blane Branscum, and two batters later, McLaughlin hit a double down the left-field line that one-hopped the wall and gave the Pirates a 1-0 lead.

With two outs, Edsall connected off of Rockwood Summit senior pitcher Gabe Sieve for a mammoth home run that easily cleared a high wall in left-center field. Edsall flipped the bat before starting a trot around the bases with the umpire issuing a soft warning to avoid any more celebrations of that type.

“It felt really good knowing that obviously it’s a game we can (win to) go to state and win state,” Edsall said. “Just knowing that I can help my team out and put the ball in play any way I can, it’s a really good feeling inside.”

Platte County collected half of eight total hits in the first inning, and Sieve settled in and finished with seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. However, the Pirates tagged him for a fourth run in the bottom of the second inning after senior leftfielder Bronson Ryan and Blacklock both walked with one out.

The only starter returning from the 2022 state championship team, Platte County senior shortstop Dayton Doll then loaded the bases with a well-placed single to right field. McLaughlin hit a deep drive to center field that resulted in a sacrifice fly and a 4-0 lead. However, an out on the basepaths prevented a potentially bigger inning.

In a special moment later in the game, Platte County senior Taylor Stambersky laced a long single into the right-center field gap to score two more and push the Pirates’ lead back to 6-1. Stamberksy, a returning all-state infielder, started the majority of the season at second base before a knee injury began limiting to only occasional pinch-hit duties.

“It’s really big for him since he’s come back from what he’s been through,” Edsall said.

The pitching ended up doing the rest with Platte County’s defense turning a pair of critical double plays to help limit Rockwood Summit’s offense. The Falcons threatened in the top of the first after a one-out double from junior third baseman Wyatt Schneider and put two runners on against McLaughlin.

Platte County escaped the situation when Blacklock, a starter as a junior pushed back into the lineup after Stambersky’s injury, ranged to his right and started a timely double play. McLaughlin also ended the second inning with a pickoff to help him avoid hitting the pitch limit.

Magnuson followed with a strikeout and only one walk allowed while facing the minimum in two scoreless innings, before a throwing error in the top of the sixth led to the only run scored against Hall, who struck out two and allowed only two hits.

“(The early runs were) a big point,” Edsall said. “Knowing we can get a lot of runs up and then we go and the pitching backs it up, it’s good for the long run.”

Platte County answered right back with two in the bottom of the sixth with contributions from the unexpected sources typical of a team making a successful postseason run.

Sieve hit Platte County senior Brock Fowler with a pitch before Rockwood Summit brought in junior Kaden Dinges in relief with one out. The Pirates’ inning continued when freshman catcher Boston Wasserman followed with a double down the line, just past Schneider diving toward the third-base line. Wasserman started behind the plate only after Pirates junior Ian Gold suffered a back injury in hitting practice, leading to a late scratch from the expected lineup.

“He wasn’t expecting (to play) until about an hour before the game,” Blacklock said. “I was like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to get ready.’ He was telling me he was nervous and whatever. I just said, it’s another game. I knew he was a good player, and he came up, stepped up big for us.”

Platte County coach John Sipes then inserted Stamberksy as a pinch-hitter for Ryan, and the hit dropped into right-center field ended up as a two-run single likely only because of limitations in running with the knee injury. Fowler and senior courtesy runner Patrick McCool both easily scored on the play to push the lead out to five.

Rockwood Summit went into the top of seventh needing at least five runs to extend the semifinal, but Hall worked around a pair of batters he hit with two outs and induced a game-ending grounder to Doll, who flipped to Blacklock for a force play at second.

Platte County’s execution of the pitch count limits means McLaughlin, Magnuson and junior Zach Brown should be available against Vianney, whose lone loss this season came May 10 against Westminster Christian Academy. The Griffins used senior ace JD Dohrmann, a University of Missouri commit, for 6 2/3 innings in an 8-2 semifinal win over Marshfield to also advance into Saturday’s championship game.

However, Vianney’s pitching hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any game since the loss to Westminster Christian.

Platte County completed a borderline miraculous comeback to win the final two games a best-of-three state quarterfinal series last weekend against Webb City in the state’s new format for Classes 5 and 6. The Pirates used seven pitchers over a span of 28 total innings and faced elimination in both the bottom of the seventh and bottom of the ninth of the deciding matchup.

Now, Platte County seeks to add to the 2002 (Class 3A) and 2022 (Class 5) state titles as the perceived underdog against Vianney, which owns three championships — the most recent in 2018 in Class 5.

“Can’t wait for it,” Edsall said.