Riechers’ walkoff hit leads Platte County to 1st of 2 run-rule victories in 1 week

Demi Riechers reached out and made decent contact but then watched as the ball dropped safely into left field for another hit.

On a day where little went wrong, Platte County’s senior shortstop delivered a one-out, bases-loaded two-run walkoff single in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday against Park Hill at Platte County High School. The Pirates pulled away late for an 11-1 victory with junior pitcher Kallie Hitzelberger supplying the first complete game of the season for a pitching staff regularly using three different options.

“I feel like a team like Park Hill they’ve been good in the past, but to have a win like that and spread them, it’s a great ego boost for us,” said Riechers, who went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.

Platte County (5-5) piled up nine hits and six walks — three from junior outfielder Avery Webster leading to three runs from her out of the leadoff spots — and scored six in the fifth to set up Riechers’ game-winner. The Pirates bounced back from an up-and-down busy opening week with a solid victory. Hitzelberger allowed her only run in the first inning then went in to allow only three hits total in six innings of work with two strikeouts and no walks.

Early in the season, Platte County coach Callie Peoples has used Hitzelberger, the returning ace who started her sophomore year slowly due to injury, along with senior third baseman/reliever Mackenzie Shields and freshman starter Danica Salisbury in nearly even increments.

“To see her come out and pitch the way she did, I was just happy to see her healthy, honestly,” Peoples said. “Mackenzie has been really, really consistent, and Danni’s coming in and working right with them. We’re lucky to have three to work in that rotation and go to them in spots when we needed them.”

After Park Hill went up 1-0 in the first on a pair of singles, Platte County answered right back with Webster drawing a leadoff walk, coming back from being down 1-2 in the count. She advanced to second on a fielder’s choice groundout and scored on senior first baseman TK Lawson’s single with one out to quickly tie the score back up at 1-1.

Platte County went on to score single runs in the second and third to take a 3-1 lead.

In the second, junior Harper Humes reached and went to second on an error to start the inning and scored on a single from senior centerfielder Abby Reynolds. Similarly, Mackenzie Shields went straight to second on an error and came home on another RBI single from Lawson. The Pirates missed chances at bigger innings each time.

“I think our team at-bat spirit and pushing through the game was there,” Riechers said.

The breakout came in the fifth when Platte County batted around with a huge two-out rally.

Webster again walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but Lawson, who finished 2-for-4, struck out with the runner in scoring position this time. Mackenzie Shields followed with an RBI double, and Riechers came through with a run-scoring single to put the Pirates up 5-1.

After a walk for Humes, Platte County junior right fielder Anna Crowell drove in a run with a single, and Reynolds added a two-RBI single to left to make it 8-1. Reynolds would later score on a double steal with junior second baseman Emma Reed, who reached on the third Park Hill error.

Platte County went 3-4 in seven games played in a span of seven days to start the season, which included a Greater KC Invitational comeback win over Park Hill by one run. The Pirates came into the season after averaging 10 runs per game in 2021 on the way to a second straight third-place finish in the Class 4 Missouri State Softball Championships but had hit that mark just twice going into the rematch with Park Hill.

In the sixth, Platte County made it back to the mark thanks to Riechers. Webster walked again, and Mackenzie Shields singled. After Lawson popped out, Morgan Shields also walked to load the bases, and Riechers floated her single into left on a 2-0 count.

Park Hill recorded two singles in both the first and third innings, but Hitzelberger retired the final 11 batters she faced to earn the win.

Smithville 5, Platte County 4

For the fourth time early in the season, the Pirates lost hold of a lead late and ended up with a nonconference loss Wednesday at Smithville to a top rival with Class 4 District 8 seeding likely a big outcome.

Platte County went up 3-0 on a two-run home run to center field from Lawson — her team-best third of the season — in the top of the third. However, Smithville came right back with four runs in the bottom of the inning off of Salisbury, who exited the game with one out in the fourth after allowing five hits and two walks in her 3 1/3 innings of work. The Warriors added an additional run off of Mackenzie Shields in the bottom of the fifth.

In the top of the fifth, Platte County briefly tied the score at 4-4 after a leadoff double from Webster, who later scored on an error. Smithville’s solo home run in the bottom of the frame ended up being the difference. The Pirates finished with eight hits, including a two-out double from Mackenzie Shields in the top of the seventh. She ended up stranded there as the potential tying run when Riechers, who had two hits, flew out to right field.

“We’ve talked about these games don’t really matter right now, but they’re going to matter later in the season,” Peoples said. “Whenever we’re in tight games, we’ll have been there before so I think that’s the main thing we’re taking forward: experience for later down the road.”

Platte County took a 1-0 lead in the first when Webster singled and went to third on an error committed on Mackenzie Shields’ sacrifice bunt attempt. Webster was then thrown out at home on an attempted double steal of home, but Mackenzie Shields went to third on the play and scored on Riechers’ RBI single. Morgan Shields followed with a single, but the Pirates stranded two.

In the top of the third, Riechers doubled with one out two batters ahead of Lawson, who drove her in with the blast to center field.

Platte County and Smithville have been the top two teams in their district during recent seasons. They did not match up last year when the Pirates made a second straight run to the state semifinals. The Warriors were upset early in the bracket after losing in the Class 4 District 8 final to Platte County in 2020.

Platte County 15, William Chrisman 3, 6 innings

The Pirates moved back to .500 in what has continued to be an up-and-down start against a tough schedule, this time winning the first Suburban Conference White Division game in program history Thursday in Independence.

Lawson drove in four, and Webster, Reed and Mackenzie Shields added three RBIs apiece for Platte County, which piled up 17 hits and scored in every inning. The Pirates were up 6-0 before Chrisman scored and 9-1 after the fifth before needing a big inning to invoke the run rule with six in the top of the sixth after loading the bases with one out on a hit by pitch for Humes and singles for Reynolds and senior Ava Carter.

Webster made it 10-1 with a sacrifice fly and Mackenzie Shields contributed the first two-out hit, an RBI single. Reed followed with a two-run single, and Morgan Shields doubled her home on the next pitch. Lawson completed the scoring with a single up the middle to bring Morgan Shields home.

Platte County was dangerous on offense from the start with Webster leading off the top of the first with a triple but ended up out stealing home. Lawson made up for the miscue with a two-out, two-run double. Webster added her own two-run double in the second, and Mackenzie Shields led off the third with a solo home run — her first of the season after an all-state junior campaign.

Humes hit her first career home run two batters later — a solo shot to left to make it 6-0.

Platte County’s lone run in the fourth came on another RBI double for Lawson with two outs. The Pirates stranded two but came back with two more in the fifth when Reed scored Carter on a bases-loaded hit by pitch, and Morgan Shields followed with a run-scoring walk.

Hitzelberger started and gave up three runs in five innings, striking out three while allowing three walks and five hits. Mackenzie Shields finished the game, working around a hit with one strikeout in the sixth inning.