Platte County powers up in 3 consecutive double-digit victories

The offensive production at this point in the season indicates a lot of expectation.

Platte County recorded three more double-digit victories this past week — none more indicative of the potential than a 19-1 blowout of Kearney on Monday. The Pirates poured on 10 runs in the top of the seventh at Kearney High School to put the finishing touches on a statement victory between the top two teams in Class 4 District 8 over the past half decade.

Kearney (4-4) defeated Platte County in each of the past four championship games to determine the playoff qualifier, but this marks the third regular season win for the Pirates in the same span.

In the most recent meeting, Platte County benefitted from five errors but also received timely home runs from senior left fielder Lillian Talbot and senior pitcher Reagan Ball, who also threw a complete game while scattering seven hits and striking out two. The Pirates took a 6-0 lead in the top of the second after nine straight players reached base with one out.

Platte County senior shortstop Bryli Seifert’s triple and sophomore first baseman Gracelyn Shippee’s single capped the inning.

Talbot led off the fourth with a solo home run to left, and Platte County led 9-0 at that point with the 10 run-rule in play. However, Kearney plated the lone run against Ball in the fifth before the home team collapsed, after allowing the first five batters to reach and committing two errors total.

After a walk for Seifert, Shippee promptly doubled her home. Platte County junior second baseman Kinleigh Howren later added an RBI double to extend the lead to 14-1 ahead of a run-scoring single from Talbot.

Shippee, who finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs, came up again and hit another RBI double, this one plating a pair, and Ball followed with her second home run of the season to that point after Shippee got thrown out at second.

That capped the scoring, and Ball worked around two runners in the bottom of the seventh while protecting the 18-run lead.

Platte County improved to 7-1 after similarly dominant wins over Liberty (13-3 in five innings) and Park Hill South (16-6). The Pirates hit nine home runs total during the week, giving them 15 in just eight games so far this season.

Platte County 13, Liberty 3, 5 innings

Seifert went 3-for-3 with a triple in the Pirates’ home opener Tuesday at Platte County High School.

Platte County scored in each of the first three innings and piled up eight in the bottom of the third to go ahead 13-2. Ball allowed only two earned runs in five innings, striking out one and scattering five hits and a walk.

Liberty led 1-0 after the top of the first thanks to a costly error but quickly ended up back behind after an inning-ending double play limited the damage.

Howren led off the bottom of the frame with a single, and Talbot doubled her home three itches later. Seifert then hit a go-ahead triple before she scored on a wild pitch with two outs to put the Pirates up 3-1.

Bullano hit an RBI triple in the second and came home on a passed ball.

Platte County did the rest of the damage in the third with RBI singles for Ball, freshman third baseman Caroline Reynolds, Howren, Talbot and Bullano, who plated two with hers. The Pirates also added runs on an error and Shippee’s groundout.

Platte County 16, Park Hill South 6

Playing a third game in three days, the Pirates’ offense stayed hot with seven total home runs in a road win at Park Hill South High School on Wednesday night.

Talbot and Ball hit two apiece, while Seifert, Shippee and Howren added one each for Platte County, which again needed all seven innings. The Pirates scored two or more in the first, second, third, fifth and seventh innings.

Howren drove in a team-high four runs, while Talbot and Shippee finished with three RBIs apiece.

Platte County never trailed after Talbot hit a home run with one out as the second batter of the game. Howren led off with a single but was caught stealing second. Seifert then walked, and Shippee hit a two-run shot to center and Ball followed with a solo drive to left to put the Pirates up 4-0.

The two-run second for Platte County included a quick rally of single-double-single from Howren, Talbot and Seifert. The Pirates then hit three more home runs in the third with junior outfielder Brynna Peterson and Bullano starting the frame with back-to-back singles.

Howren then hit her first home run of the season, a three-run blast to left, and two batter later, Seifert hit her team-leading sixth. Shippee flew out, and Ball came up with the third home run of the inning with two down. Seifert and Ball’s were both solo shots.

Platte County led 11-0 at that point but gave up the next four runs.

Park Hill South put up 12 hits against Ball, who worked a complete game and struck out four with no walks. Only four of the Panthers’ six runs were earned.

Platte County went up 13-4 in the fifth on Talbot’s solo home run followed with back-to-back doubles for Seifert and Shippee. The Pirates ended up with 23 hits total — 10 for extra-base hits with all nine starters contributing at least one.

Howren, Seifert and Shippee finished with four hits apiece, while Peterson went 3-for-5 with three singles.