Platte Valley rolls into district finals

By Phil Cobb | October 16, 2023 |

ANTHONY Crane/THE FORUM
Platte Valley senior Brylie Angle celebrates with her teammates after a home run on Monday in Stanberry.

STANBERRY, Mo. — In the second semifinal Monday night, Platte Valley ran through the Albany Warriors on its way to a 10-2 win. Platte Valley recorded 14 hits and Delaney Wolf allowed just seven baserunners in the win.

“We just came into this game fired up because we want to get back to the championship and we knew what we had to do to do it,” Brylie Angle said. “I think we all just came in ready for this.”

Platte Valley jumped on the Albany starter from the go with four-straight hits to begin the game. Maggie Collins reached on a single, then scored on a double from Angle. Kali Redden reached on a single, then Angle scored on an RBI single from Maleeah Bliley.

The Warriors struck out the next two batters, but saw their deficit double on a two-run double from Wolf. Platte Valley scored four runs on five hits in the first inning.

With one out in the top of the second, Angle extended the lead with a solo home run over the right field fence.

“It felt pretty good…felt pretty good,” Angle said.

Redden followed up the home run with her second single of the day. The senior’s time on base didn’t last long as Bliley scored her teammate with a double, giving Platte Valley a 6-0 lead.

Platte Valley extended its lead to nine over the next two innings with one run in the third and two runs in the fifth.

“We’ve been focusing a lot the last two weeks on our bats,” Platte Valley coach Shelly Deen said. “We went through that Mid-Buch Tournament not scoring a lot, so I told them we have to get our bats going. We focused a lot on it and I was very pleased on the way we started the game.”

Wolf had allowed just one baserunner before an inning-opening walk in the top of the sixth. The Platte Valley senior then forced a fielder’s choice and a strikeout before a run of three-straight hits from Albany gave the Warriors their only runs of the day.

“I came in with a good mindset,” Wolf said. “We had our fun before the game, but I had to get locked in because I knew that they could hit the ball. Tomorrow I’ll have my fun, lock in, and be ready to go have fun with my teammates.”

Platte Valley will play for its second-straight district championship and its fourth in five years Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. against Worth County. Platte Valley defeated Northeast Nodaway 11-1 in last year’s district championship.

“I think I know what I should throw them, but they’re a good team so they’re going to get hits and the defense just has to be ready behind me,” Wolf said. “We have to go in with the mindset that they’re good, but we’re better.”