The Platte County baseball team left all in shock as they won the program’s third Class 5 state championship on June 7 at the 75th annual MSHSAA Baseball Championships at Ozark Mountain Sports Complex.
It wasn’t particularly shocking that the Pirates won, but the way they won — against a St. John Vianney team entering with a record of 38-1 and ranked No. 1 in the state — left everyone flabbergasted.
Platte County wasn’t just victorious — it was relentless. Down 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth, the Pirates exploded for 10 runs in an inning that defied belief. Then, in the bottom of the fifth, they put the game away for good with a walk-off RBI single that enforced the mercy rule — and ended a game few will ever forget.
“Just be us,” sophomore pitcher Evan Magnuson said. “We knew that we were the underdogs; everyone was doubting us. We had a little fire under our stomachs trying to prove people wrong.”
For three innings, Vianney appeared in control steering itself clear of any imminent danger. The Griffins led 4-2 and looked poised to add to their nearly flawless season. But what happened next stunned everyone.
With the bottom of Platte County’s order due up, Bryce Hall and Brock Fowler opened the fourth with back-to-back singles. A defensive miscue loaded the bases, and Bronson Ryan’s sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 4-3.
Then came the dagger.
Senior Dayton Doll, already a state champion from Platte County’s 2022 title run, stepped in with the chance to turn the game — and delivered the hit of his life: a bases-clearing triple to the right-center field gap, giving the Pirates a 6-4 lead.
“Just living in the moment,” Doll said of his approach with the bases loaded. “Taking the game slow. Once the game gets too fast, you get kind of distracted by all the noise and everything, especially since it’s State. I think living in the moment really helped with that.”
After a strikeout, Vianney looked to be on the cusp of relieving the inning. Down 1-2 in the count, Rocco Marriott inflicted further damage when his hit squeezed into the outfield to score Doll.
Andrew Edsall scores in the fourth inning to give Platte County a 9-4 lead against Vianney.
After a tough start to the game, Platte County head coach John Sipes encouraged his team to remember the basics of their philosophy and attack pitches. “Once we taste blood, we just strike. That’s what the boys did,” Sipes said.
Platte County fans celebrate during the 10-run fourth inning against Vianney.
Vianney spiraled even further out of control, allowing two more batters to reach before Fowler’s RBI single, making it 9-4. Another walk was followed with a base hit from Ryan to score a run before Liam Blacklock and Doll drew bases-loaded walks to make it 12-4. At long last, after allowing 10 runs and facing 16 batters, Vianney finally got out of the worst inning they could have ever imagined.
The top of the fifth came and went with no answer from Vianney. Platte County came back up looking for the final push — and got it.
Marriott led off with a bunt single and stole second. Andrew Edsall drove him in with a base hit to make it 13-4. After a hit-by-pitch and intentional walk loaded the bases, Platte County turned to senior Patrick McCool to pinch run for Edsall at third and Taylor Stambersky stepped up to pinch hit with the title-clinching run on third.
After taking two balls, Stambersky drove the ball to center field. With the Platte County bench already jumping out of the dugout, the ball dropped in and McCool came running down the third base line before diving head-first to score the title-clinching run in walkoff fashion to force a 10-run rule finish in the fifth inning.
Platte County jumps onto the field to celebrate after Taylor Stambersky’s run-rule walkoff single secured the third state title in program history on June 7.
“We all have the dreams as kids to go out and win state,” Magnuson said. “I knew that we were talented at the beginning of the year, but it’s surreal to come against a great team. Run-ruling Vianney is just amazing.”
Magnuson, a sophomore, came on in relief to start the second inning with the Pirates trailing 2-0. He settled Platte County down defensively, pitching a scoreless second frame and giving up two runs in four innings with a strikeout.
“Huge,” Sipes said of Magnuson’s performance. “He kept us close; he gave us an opportunity to win the game. He did everything and more than we asked him to do.”
Sophomore pitcher Evan Magnuson was among the most pivotal figures for Platte County’s championship, bringing stability on the mound to earn the win against Vianney.
Brady Davis races to third base for a force out on the lead runner in the first inning against Vianney.
Brennan McLaughlin didn’t get the start he had wanted on the mound but still battled to hold Vianney to just two runs in the first inning and strand a runner in scoring position.
In the third inning, trailing 3-0, Platte County had its hopes restored with a pair of runs. After a groundout scored one, McLaughlin stepped to the plate and delivered his fifth home run of the season, sending a breaking ball over the left field fence for a solo shot.
That moment caused McLaughlin to get a little teary-eyed during his home run trot, but a reminder that the Pirates knew they weren’t going down easy.
Brennan McLaughlin returns to the dugout following his solo home run against Vianney.
“This group of boys is just so special,” McLaughlin said. “We’ve known that since the beginning of the year. We got what we wanted. We got what every team chases. It doesn’t even feel real.”
Vianney starting pitcher Benjamin Thierauf pitched well for three innings before getting tagged with nine runs, five of which were earned, in the fourth inning. Before the 10-run rampage was over, the Griffins had used four pitchers in a single inning.
The Pirates had significant contributions from all 12 players who appeared in the championship. They had eight batters earn an RBI and nine get a base hit. They did it all with freshman catcher Boston Wasserman as the backstop for the injured Ian Gold.
Doll — who started at shortstop as a freshman for the Pirates’ 2022 team that won state — was a strike away from not getting another trip to Ozark the previous week, but Platte County’s dramatic quarterfinal comeback effort against Webb City allowed Doll of another shot at his second state baseball title.
Dayton Doll celebrates his 3-RBI triple to put Platte County ahead against Vianney in the fourth inning of the state championship.
“I just wanted him to be back here to get the chance for it,” Sipes said. “If we didn’t get it, at least we had the opportunity for him to be able to. Now he’s got three rings to go home (two for baseball and one for football). He’s going to have to get a bigger trophy case.”
The senior had perhaps the biggest game of his illustrious career, ending with five RBIs and driving in the game-changing and game-winning hit. He ends his high school career as a two-time state champion.
“I am very blessed,” Doll said. “Not a lot of teams get to win state championships. To do it twice is just a great blessing.”