SUBURBAN BASEBALL: Park Hill South's busy week yields big win vs. Liberty

Park Hill South starting pitcher Jacob Thigpen scattered four hits and two walks in a 3-0 win, leading the Panthers to a critical Suburban Conference Red Division win against Liberty on Wednesday, April 29 in Liberty, Mo. Liberty won the first two meetings this season between the two teams, including the first league matchup, but stranded five runners in scoring position against Thigpen, leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the second. Richard Fullerton scored Jake Kline with an RBI double in the first, and Fullerton scored on Thigpen’s groundout after a passed ball to put Park Hill South up 2-0 early.

Park Hill South added its insurance run in the sixth when Fullerton hit a one-out single and then advanced into scoring position on a groundout. Andrew Richards scored him with a single to center and then became the final out trying to advance to second on the throw.

Thigpen struck out three and allowed at least one runner in five of seven innings. He retired Liberty in order in the seventh to close out the win.

Park Hill South 10, St. Joseph Central 0, 6 innings

Jake Evans allowed just three hits while striking out one in a complete game victory Friday, May 1 at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo.

Park Hill South sent 10 to the plate in a six-run sixth inning to score the walkoff win. Codey Land led off with a single, and pinch-runner Ryan Hagen later scored on an error. Hagen then singled to plate the winning run and finish the game.

Six different players recorded RBIs in the inning. All six hits in the frame were singles, and Central committed two errors.

Easton Fortuna went 3-for-4 from his leadoff spot with three singles, drove in three and scored twice. He singled and scored in a two-run first that included another Central error and helped put Park Hill South up for good.

Park Hill South 13, Raytown South 2, 5 innings

The Panthers quickly erased a two-run deficit, scoring all 13 runs in the first three innings Saturday, May 2 at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo.

Two singles and two errors helped Raytown South take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first against Park Hill South starter Ryan Callahan. However, the Panthers answered with five runs and weren’t challenged again. Callahan finished with seven strikeouts and only allowed one more hit and one walk after the tumultuous first inning.

Callahan hit a two-run double in the first inning after Raytown South walked the first three hitters, and Land followed with a two-run single. Richards hit a two-run home run in a five-run second.

Park Hill South 16, Ruskin 4 5 innings

The Panthers improved to 5-2 and won their fourth straight in league play with an easy win at Ruskin on Monday, May 4. They scored in four of the five innings, including seven in the first and six in the second.

Collin Farrow highlighted the top of the first with a two-RBI single from the No. 9 spot in the order, and Park Hill South batted 11 in the frame. Richards hit a two-run double in the second, and two batters later, Land hit a three-run home run to left field.

Platte County 4, Belton 0

Platte County avenged its only prior loss in Suburban Conference Blue Division play behind Jared Wilson’s shutout Wednesday, April 29 at Platte County High School.

Wilson allowed only one hit and one walk, while striking out four. He also hit a batter, and Platte County committed an error. Belton ended up stranding all four runners.

Kodee Martin led off the bottom of the first with a single and eventually came around to score on an error. Max Hunter collected RBIs on the final three runs with singles in the second and fourth. Tyler Clemens, courtesy running for Wilson, scored twice. Wilson went 2-for-3, while Austin Gammill collected the lone extra-base hit for either team with a double.

Platte County 3, Kearney 2

The Pirates made the most of just three hits Tuesday, April 28 in Kearney, Mo.

Martin and Matt Mefford led off the top of the first with singles, and Colton Horn collected an RBI single. Clemens, Mefford’s courtesy runner, then came home on Kearney’s lone error.

Kearney scored twice in the bottom of the second on Jess Davis’ double against Mefford, who earned the win by scattering six hits and a walk in seven innings. He struck out just two, but the Pirates committed only one error behind him.

In the top of the third, Platte County took the lead for good when Horn scored Clemens again, this time on an RBI groundout after Mefford walked.

Platte County 8, Pembroke Hill 1

Hunter went 3-for-3 with an RBI on Thursday, April 30 in Kansas City, Mo., and he also earned the win with 5 innings of one-run relief.

Clemens scored twice while running for Hunter, who tripled in the fifth inning and then doubled in the sixth. Platte County held a 2-1 lead entering the top of the fifth but plated three runs in that inning and the next to pull away.

Mefford hit a two-run triple in the sixth, and he also scored twice. Martin went 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.

Platte County 8, Grain Valley 2

The Pirates ran their win streak to eight Saturday, May 2 at Platte County High School before the run came to an end, concluding a busy week with a loss in the second game of a doubleheader.

In the opener, Platte County went ahead for good on Wilson’s two-run single scoring, bringing home Gammill and Horn. Gammill singled in the first and third innings.

Grant Carver earned the win, allowing a pair of runs in the top of the third that briefly put Grain Valley ahead 2-1. He struck out eight, while allowing four hits and three walks.

Platte County scored three times in the third and then three more in the fourth to take a 7-1 lead. All 10 of the Pirates’ hits were singles.

In the second game, Grain Valley scored just two earned runs in a 5-2 victory. All five runs came against Horn, who allowed seven hits in four innings. Drew Parmeley threw three no-hit innings in relief, while walking three, but the Pirates couldn’t stage a comeback.

Zach Hamilton drove in both runs for Platte County without a hit, including an RBI in the bottom of the second that briefly tied the score at 1. Grain Valley scored two in each of the next two innings to take control.

Platte County 10, Raytown South 4, 6 innings

The Pirates returned to Red Division play Monday, May 4 and improved their league record to 6-1 with three games left to play. That includes a key matchup Thursday May 7 against Kearney.