Platte County’s offense stays hot in trio of road wins

The offense continues to come in bunches with the entire lineup making contributions.

On Monday, Platte County senior outfielder Kallie Hitzelberger collected three singles, and senior catcher Morgan Shields, senior third baseman Emma Reed and freshman Allie Riggs drove in two runs apiece in an 11-7 road win at Park Hill South in Riverside. The Pirates put up four runs in the first inning and never trailed, continuing a hot streak in nonconference play

Platte County has won six straight, putting up at least eight runs in each of those games. This past week, the Pirates scored 11, 18 and 18 in against Park Hill South, William Chrisman and Raytown.

In Monday’s game, Platte County sent eight to the plate in the first inning, starting with a single from senior second baseman and leadoff hitter Avery Webster. Reed doubled her home with one out, and freshman shortstop Bryli Seifert put runners on the corner with a hard single to left field.

Platte County increased the lead to 2-0 on a passed ball, then Hitzelberger (single) and senior centerfielder Anna Crowell (double) provided two-out, run-scoring hits to establish the four-run lead.

Park Hill South scattered 10 hits and four walks against Platte County sophomore starter Danica Salisbury, who also struck out six. She kept the Panthers from coming any closer than 8-5 in the bottom of the fifth when they scored two on four straight two-out singles. However, Shields threw in behind a runner at second to end the threat.

Platte County pushed the lead back to 11-5 in the seventh when Riggs hit a two-run double to plate Hitzelberger, who led off the inning with a single, and Crowell. She scored on Shields’ two-out single, and the Pirates protected the six-run advantage in the final half inning.

Park Hill South scored two more on a pair of walks, a single and an RBI groundout but never brought the tying run to the plate.

Park Hill South scored in four of seven innings, originally pulling back within 4-1 in the bottom of the first, only for Platte County to answer in the second with a Reed’s two-out RBI double to score sophomore left fielder Evie Thrasher, who reached to start the inning after being hit by a pitch.

Platte County’s three-run fourth included Shields’ RBI bunt single and bases-loaded, run-scoring walks for Seifert and Salisbury.

Platte County 18, William Chrisman 2, 3 innings

Seifert and Crowell both homered and finished with four RBIs apiece in a return to Suburban Conference White Division play Tuesday in Independence.

Platte County freshman Reagan Ball started and pitched all three innings, striking out one and walking one while allowing two runs. The Pirates scored six in the first, nine in the second and three in the third to put the run-rule in play early.

The first five batters reached in the top of the first.

Webster led off with a double and scored on Shields’ single. She also scored on the play when the ball went past the defender and to the fence in right field. The next three batters walked, and Crowell scored Platte County’s third run with a fielder’s choice. The Pirates increased that to 4-0 on Riggs’ RBI double to left field, and sophomore Marley Snyder-Richardson capped the frame with a two-run single.

The second started with Shields being hit by a pitch, and Seifert followed with her third home run of the season — a two-run shot to left-center field. Salisbury doubled, Hitzelberger singled, and Crowell blasted a three-run shot to left to make it 11-0.

Snyder-Richardson (single) and Seifert (hit by pitch) also had RBI hits for Platte County in the second, and Webster stole home before the lead increased to 15-0 on an error that kept the inning alive.

William Chrisman’s two runs came in the bottom of the second on a pair of two-out hits, but Platte County answered again. Pirates junior Haley Schank stole home, and Webster plated Snyder-Richardson with a single. Seifert then capped her day with an RBI double.

Platte County 18, Raytown 1, 4 innings

The Pirates improved to 5-1 in conference play with another run-rule victory Thursday in Raytown.

Seifert went 4-for-4 with five RBIs, while Webster drove in two and scored three times on three hits. Shields and Reed also scored three times apiece with the top of the lineup doing a majority of the damage in the first inning before the Pirates put up 12 in the fourth.

Raytown committed eight errors.

Seifert’s fourth home run and second in as many games highlighted the 12-run fourth. She hit a two-run shot to left field a pitch after Shields scored on a passed ball. The Pirates were up 10-1 at that point and then scored eight with two outs, starting with a pair of outs that extended the inning. Webster had a two-run single, and Shields followed with an RBI single of her own to make it 14-1. Seifert then added a two-run single to give her four RBIs in the inning. The eighth and final error allowed the final two runs to score.

Platte County again started fast in the top of the first with Webster doubling on the first pitch and scoring on a passed ball beforee Shields reached with a walk. Reed also walked, and Seifert made it 2-0 with an RBI single before Reed scored on an error as the Blue Jays returned the ball to the infield.

Salisbury also had an RBI single in a five-run first then added another in the third to plate Seifert, who doubled with one out.

Ball received a second straight start at pitcher to give Salisbury a break. Ball struck out three and allowed four hits and a walk, while allowing only a single run in the bottom of the third. Salisbury continues to work the majority of the innings at pitcher with Seifert suffering from biceps tendinitis and likely done in the circle for the season.