No place like Springfield: Platte County jumps to early lead, holds on to win state quarterfinal

There were entirely more nervous moments than preferred for Platte County after jumping to a big early lead.

Finally back in the playoffs, opportunity could have turned into disaster in Saturday’s Class 4 state quarterfinal. Instead, Platte County held on for a 13-9 victory playing as the visiting team against Belton at Platte County High School. The consistently productive offense scored in six of the seven innings, and four uncharacteristic errors were ultimately irrelevant.

Platte County (24-7) advances to the state semifinals for the seventh time in program history — first since back-to-back third-place Class 4 finishes in 2020 and 2021 — with the chase for a second state title alive.

“It’s so special,” Platte County junior second baseman Kinleigh Howren said. “It’s all we talk about every season, all season. None of us have gotten the opportunity to be on a state team so this is something that’s so cool. We’re all trying to soak it in, enjoy the moment.”

Platte County never trailed after Howren led off with an opposite-field solo home run on the fourth pitch of the game, and the lead ultimately hit 8-1 after the top of the second. However, Belton brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate in the bottom of the frame with the first two innings taking more than an hour to play.

The teams combined for 21 hits, while Platte County benefitted from 11 walks issued between two Belton pitchers.

Platte County star senior shortstop Bryli Seifert went 2-for-3 with a walk and extended her single-season school record for home runs to 18 with a solo shot in the fourth. Individual insurance runs later in that inning and each of the next three proved pivotal when Belton finally mounted a last-gasp rally in the bottom of the seventh.

“We’ve been in that situation multiple times this season,” Howren said. “We know what to do. We always find a way. I didn’t have too bad of a feeling going into that inning, even when I looked at the (score)board. I didn’t realize they had nine (runs), but I wasn’t worried.”

Platte County senior pitcher Reagan Ball only struck out one in a complete game but ended up tagged with five unearned runs on 12 hits plus four walks issued. She took a 13-6 lead into the seventh, and Belton opened with a leadoff double into the left-center field gap.

Two batters later, Platte County freshman third baseman Caroline Reynolds misplayed a ground ball, and Seifert picked up the loose ball and threw high while colliding with her teammate. The two errors put a runner on second and allowed the first of three runs to score.

Belton junior Aubrey Skipton followed with an RBI double, and a walk and a single loaded the bases.

Ball then induced a groundout that nearly resulted in an inning-ending double play but resulted in a fielder’s choice that scored another run and cut Platte County’s lead to 13-9. Belton never did bring the potential tying run to the plate with sophomore Delilah Miles hitting an infield popup two pitches later.

Seifert called off the other infielders and recorded the final out, just as she did three days earlier in a 5-3 win over Smithville in the Class 4 District 8 championship game. The celebrations were equally fervent.

Platte County lost in the district title each of the previous four seasons to Kearney, making this postseason run all the more meaningful for Seifert, Ball, Kelly Bullano and Lillian Talbot — four seniors who were in the first playoff game of their career against Belton.

Next up: Platte County faces Helias (24-6) in a Class 4 state semifinal at noon Thursday in Springfield. The winner advances to Friday’s championship game, scheduled for 10 a.m. at Killian Sports Complex.

Parkway West (22-9) and St. Dominic (15-16-1) play in Thursday’s other Class 4 semifinal.

“I’m just really proud of this team. These girls have vested a lot of time and energy,” said Platte County head coach Callie Peoples, who improved to 4-2 all-time in the playoffs with the Pirates. “I’m just so excited this group gets to experience this.”

Platte County and Belton split a pair of regular season meetings in Suburban Conference White Division play. This one started out looking more like the 12-2 run-rule victory for Platte County on October 5 but ended up closer to the 15-14 nine-inning marathon Belton win back in mid-September.

Howren provided the big early spark, taking a pitch on the outside part of the plate from Belton junior starter Courtney Bandy off the scoreboard in right. Her sixth home run of the season went to a part of the field she typically considers inaccessible for that type of power.

“I think it definitely set the tone,” Howren said. “Ovviously, I had a lot of nerves going into that at-bat. Obviously, weird hitting first on our own field, but hitting that (home run) really set the tone.”

Platte County ended up scoring five in the top of the first with help from three walks and two errors. Bullano, who homered twice in the district championship game win over Smithville, capped the rally with a double over the head of Skipton in center field to plate junior courtesy runner Lacy Hayes, but Belton escaped without more damage after a miscommunication on the basepaths led to the third out.

The first unearned run against Ball came in the bottom of the inning after a one-out error, but Platte County came right back in the second. Bandy walked the bases loaded and exited at that point.

Howrren scored on a passed ball, and Platte County sophomore first baseman Gracelyn Shippee followed with a two-run single to increase the lead to 8-1. However, Belton didn’t go away, drawing four walks and collecting three doubles among the 12 total hits.

“We played our game the entire time, and we just relied on that,” Peoples said. “We knew Belton wasn’t going to give this to us. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and we would have to work for every single and every single out. That’s what we did.”

Platte County especially wobbled with two outs in a lengthy bottom of the second.

Belton scored four runs, and a groundout to shortstop allowed Ball to escape a jam with the potential go-ahed run at the plate. She retired the next six batters faced over the next two innings and didn’t allow another run until the fifth.

“Reagan, she’s a dog. She’s always fighting,” Howren said. “I’m never worried about Reagan.”

By the time Belton managed another single run, Platte County led 11-5. Seifert hit a solo home run with one out in the fourth, and Shippee followed with a walk and later scored on sophomore catcher Eva Bane’s single to left field.

Platte County’s next run came in the top of the fifth after Belton walked the bases loaded — the last an intention free pass for Seifert. With two outs, Belton junior reliever Addie Hull then hit Ball with a pitch to push the lead back out to six.

Seifert grounded out in her first at-bat then sandwiched the home run between a pair of walks.

“Honestly, for the other team, it’s always a lose-lose situation,” Howren said. “You’re either walking her or you’re going to pitch to her and you probably won’t like the result.”

Platte County manufactured a run in the sixth on a single from junior right fielder Brynna Peterson, a sacrifice bunt from Bullano and a single from Howren with two outs. Seifert tripled to lead off the seventh, and Shippee, who 2-for-4 with three RBIs, promptly knocked her in with a single.

With a seven-run lead reestablished, Platte County ended up with the needed cushion to survive for a beautifully imperfect outcome.

Platte County lost each of the past two state semifinals. The 2020 third-place game did not happen due to post-COVID-19 pandemic protocols, while the Pirates came back to best Incarnate Word Academy 12-5 in the 2021 consolation game.

The program’s lone appearances in the state championship game resulted in a 2008 title and a 2014 runnerup finish.