West Platte’s hopes at a KCI Conference championship took a hit with a 2-1 loss to Lawson on Monday, May 4 in Lawson, Mo. — a game shortened to five innings due to weather. Lawson improved to 9-1 in league play with matchups against Plattsburg and Mid-Buchanan left. West Platte dropped to 7-2 in the KCI, having won the previous matchup with Lawson 10-0 but also losing to Lathrop.
West Platte took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth on Peyton Morris’ solo home run — one of the three hits for the Blue Jays. However, Lawson answered back with two in the bottom of the fourth against McKaulley Stephenson, West Platte’s ace.
Both of Lawson’s hits came in the frame, including an RBI triple.
Stephenson struck out 10 and only walked one but took the loss. West Platte also received a double from Stephenson at the plate, but the Bluejays stranded three runners total.
West Platte 21, North Platte 1, 5 innings
The Bluejays scored 12 in the first and rolled to a second win this season against their rivals.
Cody Guthrie went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run Tuesday, April 28 at Dean Park in Dearborn, Mo., while scoring three times and driving in five runs. Morris added three RBIs with three singles, while Tanner Lintner, who also earned the win with four innings of relief, had a double among his three hits and drove in a pair.
Stephenson also collected three singles, while Ben Heili contributed two RBIs.
North Platte’s lone run came on an RBI single for Haden Knapp, one of only two players to collect a hit against Stephenson (two strikeouts) and Lintner (four walks and four strikeouts). The Panthers committed nine errors behind losing pitcher Bryntin Crockett (two of 12 runs allowed earned) and Knapp (six of nine runs allowed earned).
West Platte 10, KC Lutheran 0, 6 innings
The Blue Jays earned a walkoff win Wednesday, April 29 in Weston, Mo. with starting pitcher Luke Horseman throwing a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts. He also walked two.
West Platte finished with 10 hits but just one for extra bases — a Heili double. He scored three times and drove in one in a 3-for-4 showing, while Horseman finished with three RBIs. Two pitchers for Lutheran combined to walk eight, including three for Clay Lambrecht at the leadoff spot. He also went 2-for-2 and scored twice.
West Platte 11, Plattsburg 1, 5 innings
The Bluejays scored another walkoff win, backing Stephenson’s complete game on Thursday, April 30 in Weston, Mo.
Stephenson also hit a home run and drove in three, while Guthrie went 3-for-3, including a pair of doubles knocking in three more. Lambrecht and Horseman were each on base twice and scored two runs apiece.
Stephenson allowed only three hits and one walk, while striking out seven. Plattsburg’s lone run in the top of the first was unearned, and the Bluejays responded with three in the bottom of the frame. They went up 8-0 with five more in the third.
North Platte 8, North Nodaway 5
The Panthers ended a four-game skid with a five-run top of the seventh inning Thursday, April 30 in Hopkins, Mo.
North Nodaway led 5-1 after the fifth inning, but North Platte tallied two in the top of the sixth before taking its first lead in the seventh. Austin Shanks capped the inning with a two-run triple, his second three-base hit of the game. He drove in three total.
Triston Rickel, who earned the win on the mound, also contributed a single during the five-run frame, and drove in two. He also doubled earlier in the game.
North Platte returned to KCI play against Plattsburg on Monday, May 4 at Dean Park in Dearborn, Mo. Inclement weather forced the game to be stopped and postponed to a later date with play in the top of third inning.
Play was scheduled to resume on Wednesday, May 6. North Platte has two more KCI games remaining, one vs. Mid-Buchanan on Thursday, May 7 and then vs. Lathrop on Monday, May 11.