Platte County knows the offense can come at any point so not many deficits look insurmountable.
Platte County junior shortstop Bryli Seifert watches a ball she hit against Truman on Tuesday at Platte County High School.
Truman started fast Tuesday at Platte County High School in a Suburban Conference White Division matchup but couldn’t hold. Instead, the Pirates plated a pair in the bottom of the fourth and pulled away in the fifth on the way to a 6-3 victory that looked more comfortable at the end than at certain points of the second matchup between the two teams in less than a week.
Platte County (9-3) won the prior meeting between the two teams 13-0 but didn’t lead until junior centerfielder Kelly Bullano hit a game-tying RBI single and then scored on senior first baseman Dani Salisbury’s groundout three pitches later.
“I think we’re always confident that each other can hit and making sure we’re all comfortable,” said Platte County junior all-state shortstop Bryli Seifert, who went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.
Platte County junior centerfielder Kelly Bullano hits a ball against Truman on Tuesday night at Platte County High School.
Down 2-1 going to the fourth, Platte County took advantage of a pair of costly errors to take the lead. Gracelyn Shippee, an impact freshman at designated hitter, reached on an error and advanced to second on the play. She remained there when Bullano came up and stroked a single the opposite way with Truman senior rightfielder Adleigh Jeffries overrunning the ball.
Bullano ended up all the way at third and came home on Salisbury’s groundout to put Platte County up 3-2.
Platte County’s bottom of the fifth produced three more runs with senior catcher Gwen Duncan turning over the lineup with a leadoff single before sophomore third baseman Kinleigh Howren walked. Seifert then came up with one out and blasted a double to left field that just missed clearing the wall for a home run but still scored two and gave the Pirates’ a 5-2 lead.
“I honestly did think it was gone,” Seifert said. “I didn’t know if it was a little too low, but it was too low and hit the fence so that’s OK because I still got the RBIs.”
Shippee came up and lined out sharply to third base, but freshman Eva Bane, part of a deep rotation splitting outfielder duties, provided an insurance run with a single to left field to plate Seifert.
Platte County sophomore third baseman Kinleigh Howren makes a throw to first base against Truman on Tuesday at Platte County High School.
Platte County held from there with junior starting pitcher Lillian Talbot working around a pair of runners in a scoreless sixth before exiting with one out in the seventh, which started with the Pirates’ second error. Truman then added three singles with the last closing the deficit to 6-3 and bringing the potential tying run to the plate.
With the bases loaded, Platte County brought in junior Reagan Ball, who induced a shallow flout and then recorded a game-ending strikeout to earn the save.
“I think it says that (Reagan’s) a great teammate, able to come in for anyone,” Seifert said. “She’s very confident in her stuff.”
Platte County’s rotation of pitchers increased to three and now includes Ball, Salisbury and Talbot, who started most of last season in left field but missed the first eight games this year due to injury. She returned for Monday’s doubleheader sweep of Ruskin, which included three-inning victories of 16-0 and 17-0.
Earning her second start of the season in the pitching circle, Talbot saw a leadoff error and three singles lead to Truman’s two runs in the top of the first. The score remained there until Bullano hit a one-out triple in the second before scoring on Salisbury’s sacrifice fly to center field.
Platte County junior Lillian Talbot delivers a pitch against Truman on Tuesday at Platte County High School.
Talbot ended up working 6 1/3 innings, scattering nine hits and three walks, while allowing only one earned run.
Platte County 3, Belton 2
Extending the current win streak to four, Platte County also came back for a road win over Belton on Thursday, making the most of just five hits.
Platte County turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead with a three-run top of the sixth, jumpstarted when both Bane and senior outfielder Evie Thrasher were hit by pitches with one out. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and came home on Bullano’s single to right field. She later scored the eventual winning run on a passed ball with two outs ahead of Duncan’s single.
Ball, who struck out two in a complete game, worked around a walk in the sixth and retired Belton in order in the seventh to earn the win. She scattered nine hits and three walks, allowing single runs in the first and second inning.
Platte County stranded Howren at third in the top of the first and Salisbury and Bullano in scoring position in the second then didn’t have another hit until Talbot singled with two outs in the fifth. Belton again worked around runners at second and third before the decisive sixth inning.
All five of Platte County’s hits were singles.
Platte County improved to 5-0 in conference play with a doubleheader against Raytown scheduled for Monday before closing the week at Fort Osage on Tuesday and home vs. Grain Valley on Thursday.
