Pirate
baseball team wins conference title
by Tad
Brewer
Landmark reporter
For the second consecutive year, the Platte County Pirate
baseball team attempted to become conference champions.
In order to do so, the Pirates still needed to defeat
both Cameron and Savannah.
The Pirates sent junior pitcher Taylor Seedorf to the
mound against Cameron. Seedorf pitched the first four
innings of the ballgame, only allowing two runs off of
three hits and a walk, while striking out four batters.
As the game moved through the fifth inning, the Pirate
offense had a commanding lead of 8-2. This lead was not
big enough for the Pirates to spread Cameron, so the game
continued into the bottom of the fifth inning when sophomore
Jake Blackwood took over at pitcher.
Blackwood pitched the next two innings, giving up no
runs and just one hit and one walk, while striking out
one.
As the game progressed into the top of the seventh inning,
the Pirates unloaded a barrage of runs on the Cameron
defense. Entering the seventh inning, the Pirates still
led by a score of 8-2, but that would quickly change.
Platte County unloaded a 16-run seventh inning on Cameron.
The Pirates sent 19 batters to the plate during this seventh
inning. This huge offensive inning all but did in Cameron,
who now trailed 24-2 as the game entered the bottom of
the seventh inning.
Junior Nick Jaros came on to close out the ballgame in
the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Pirates scored their 24 runs off of 18 hits and committed
no errors. Cameron, on the other hand, scored two runs
off of four hits and committed four errors. Seedorf was
credited as the winning pitcher for Platte County.
The Pirates were led by a whole slew of players offensively.
Senior Trevor Clay had two home runs and a single, five
runs batted in, and five runs scored. Senior Aaron Pryor
had one home run and two singles, scored three runs, and
led the team in runs batted in with six. Blackwood had
two home runs with three runs batted in and three runs
scored. Junior Cory Williams added one home run, a double,
and a triple, and three runs batted in and two runs scored.
Jaros hit one home run and a single, and had two runs
batted in and two runs scored.
This win advanced the Pirates to 15-2 on the season,
and 5-0 in the Midland Empire Conference.
In the Pirates next game, they would continue their attempt
to win conference. To do so they needed to defeat Savannah.
The Pirates sent Pryor to the mound, who pitched 5 and
two thirds innings for Platte County. Jaros came on in
relief to pitch the final one and a third inning of the
ballgame.
The Pirates scored eight runs throughout the first five
runs of the ballgame, and Savannah did not score until
the sixth inning when they were able to put four runs
on the Pirates. The Pirates defeated Savannah to become
the conference champions, by a score of 8-4.
The Pirates had eight hits in the ballgame and committed
three errors, while Savannah had six hits and committed
no errors.
Pryor was credited as the winning pitcher for Platte
County, only giving up three runs, only two of which were
earned runs, five hits and two walks, while striking out
five batters. Jaros was credited with a save, giving up
one earned run, one hit and a walk, while striking out
two batters.
Sophomores Jeremy Wilson and Blackwood led the Pirates
offensively. Blackwood had a single and a home run, with
two runs batted in and one run scored. Wilson had two
singles and a double, along with two runs batted in and
one run scored.
This victory advanced the Pirates overall record to 17-2
on the season, and 6-0 in the MEC conference.
After defeating Cameron and Savannah, the Class 3A Pirates
then had to try to take down the highly ranked Class 2A
St. Pius.
In the top of the first inning, the Pirates were able
to jump out to an early lead with the help of senior Tyler
Warner, who was able to hit a bases loaded triple. Warner
eventually scored, and the Pirates led 4-0 before St.
Pius even had a chance to bat in the first inning.
Clay went to the mound for Platte County, and did not
allow any runs until the third inning, when St. Pius was
able to score three runs. But by the time that St. Pius
scored their first runs, Platte County had already had
six runs score. After the third inning, the Pirates led
6-3.
In the fourth inning, St. Pius was able to dig a little
deeper into the Pirates lead, scoring two more runs, making
the score 6-5. Senior Tyler Shaw then came on in relief
of Clay in the fourth inning. Shaw shutdown St. Pius and
did not allow any more runs to score, as the Pirates defeated
St. Pius by a final score of 6-5. Both teams had eight
hits and the Pirates committed three errors, while St.
Pius did not commit any.
Clay picked up the win for Platte County, making him
5-0 overall on the season, allowing five runs, of which
only three were earned, six hits, and two walks, while
striking out three batters over his three and a third
innings pitched. Shaw picked up the save, pitching three
and two thirds scoreless innings, giving up just two hits
and one walk, and striking out one batter.
Warner helped to lead the Pirates past St. Pius by hitting
a triple and a double, and hitting three runs in and scoring
two more runs. Wilson had two singles, and a run batted
in for the Pirates, and Pryor had a single, a run scored,
and a run batted in.
This victory over St. Pius moved the Pirates overall
record to 17-2 on the season.
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