Platte County reeled off a trio of double-digit victories this past week, but the biggest win might have come with some positive injury news. The Pirates lost freshman first/third baseman Allie Riggs to a shoulder injury while sliding into home in Thursday’s 11-0 Suburban Conference White Division triumph over William Chrisman at Platte County High School, but she appears to have avoided a lengthy layoff and expects to return sooner rather than later.
Platte County freshman Allie Riggs swings at a pitch against Smithville on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
Riggs and freshman shortstop Bryli Seifert have provided an immediate impact for Platte County, which improved to 7-3 on the season while carrying the three-game winning streak into an extremely busy week. The Pirates have a 1-0 record in conference play before hosting Raytown on Monday and playing at Grain Valley (Tuesday) and Belton (Thursday) ahead of a weekend tournament in Nebraska.
The pivotal matchup with Grain Valley, which beat Platte County 9-1 in this year’s season-opening Greater Kansas City Suburban Invitational.
However, Platte County didn’t start sophomore No. 1 Danica Salisbury in that meeting against the defending White Division champions. The Pirates also might not be at full strength if Riggs remains out for any or all of this week.
Against William Chrisman on Thursday, Riggs started at third base and hit an RBI double to cap Platte County’s three-run first inning. Seifert (2-for-3) scored on the hit after singling home senior center fielder Anna Crowell, who opened the scoring with a double to plate senior catcher Morgan Shields. The Pirates scored at least two runs in all times at the plate, and Seifert allowed only two hits while striking out two in a five-inning complete game.
Platte County added two more in the second with junior rightfielder Haley Schank and sophomore second baseman Marlee Snyder-Richardson leading off with back-to-back walks and sophomore left fielder Evie Thrasher’s bunt single loading the bases. Schank came home on a passed ball, and Snyder-Richardson scored on Crowell’s groundout.
Platte County freshman Bryli Seifert celebrates with sophomore Danica Salisbury during a game with Smithville on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
The third inning led to Riggs’ injury.
Seifert singled, and Riggs walked to set up an immediate scoring opportunity. Platte County senior shortstop Emma Reed then doubled with Seifert and Riggs scoring on the play. Reed later made it 8-0 for the Pirates thanks to a two-out William Chrisman error, and she moved over to third base after Riggs exited with senior Avery Webster coming out of the dugout from a scheduled day off to play shortstop.
Platte County put the run-rule in play with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Crowell finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs after singling home Shields, led off with a single. Salisbury, who started at first base, added an RBI single and then scored on Webster’s single in her only at-bat.
Seifert retired William Chrisman in order to finish off the shutout.
Platte County 16, Smithville 5
Platte County senior Kallie Hitzelberger swings at a pitch against Smithville on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
The Pirates scored an important win for Class 4 District 8 seeding, putting up nine runs in the bottom of the fourth of what ended up a five-inning victory Wednesday at Platte County High School.
In the big inning, Platte County sent 13 to the plate and took advantage of a pair of errors to turn a 7-4 lead into a 12-run advantage. Crowell and Salisbury started with singles, and senior rightfielder Kallie Hitzelberger, who received a day off the next day against William Chrisman, reached on a misplayed grounder to load the bases.
Platte County’s first three runs came on Seifert’s sacrifice fly and another error, that allowed two to score. Smithville walked the next four batters with two more scoring in the process. The Pirates then came up with big hits from Thrasher (three-run double) and Hitzelberger (RBI single).
Salisbury gave up a run on two hits in the top of the fifth but finished off Platte County’s win at 16-5. She scattered eight hits and a walk, while striking out one.
Smithville actually built a 2-0 lead in the top of the first but immediately gave the advantage back. Platte County started with a walk from Webster, and Shields reached on the first of four Smithville errors. The Pirates ended up scoring four with Crowell and Salisbury starting with back-to-back RBI singles, and Reed capping the inning with a two-run double to score Hitzelberger and Riggs.
Platte County senior Morgan Shields catches a pitch against Smithville on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
Hitzelberger finished 2-for-4.
Smithville answered with two runs to tie the score at 4-4, but Platte County scored the next 12, starting with three in the bottom of the third. Seifert’s one-out double created the first runner in that inning before a two-out rally produced the scoring. Reed singled her home with two outs, and Thrasher walked ahead of a two-run triple for Webster.
Salisbury finished 3-for-4 with a double three RBIs.
Platte County 13, Park Hill 3
Salisbury and Hitzelberger collected three hits apiece, and Riggs drove in three during a road victory Tuesday at Park Hill High School in Kansas City.
Platte County scored four in the top of the sixth in what ended up another run-rule-shortened victory. The Pirates scored in all but one inning to back Salisbury, who gave up only one earned run, while striking out five. The Pirates committed three errors, two in a three-run third for Park Hill that also included four consecutive singles. The Trojans had nine hits total.
Platte County senior Emma Reed makes a throw from third base against Smithville on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
Even after Park Hill’s big inning, Platte County led 6-3.
Crowell and Salisbury singled with two outs, and Hitzelberger and Crowell followed with walks, the second forcing in a run to make it 1-0. The Pirates left the bases loaded but scored three in the second, starting with leadoff walks for Reed and Thrasher. However, they needed an error to score the first run, and Salisbury followed with a two-run single.
Riggs’ two-run double extended Platte County’s lead to 6-0.
Platte County immediately answered Park Hill’s three runs with three in the top of the fourth. Webster, Shields, Salisbury, Hitzelberger and Riggs all singled — the last three plating one each. After going scoreless in the fifth, the Pirates put the run-rule in play with a two-out rally in the sixth that included five more hits.
Hitzelberger and Seifert singled with one out but were still there when Reed and Thrasher came up with RBI singles ahead of Webster’s two-run double. She finished the week hitting .500 for the season with a team-high 10 RBIs, while Crowell has scored 12 runs in 10 games.
