Gallatin pounds its way to Springfield, beating Platte Valley 9-3

The Gallatin Lady Bulldogs combination of potent hitting and strong pitching led the way to a Saturday afternoon victory over Platte Valley, as GHS scored a run in the top of the first inning before adding five more in the second, rolling to a 9-3 victory and a spot in this weekend’s Show-Me Showdown in Springfield.

The District 7 champions, despite playing on their home field, were named the visiting team after a pregame coin toss, with Gallatin striking quickly in the top of the 1st.

Brynn Bird had a leadoff single with Alex Endicott following with another single.   A wild pitch moved both baserunners, with a Karydon Jones single scoring Bird.  Three consecutive outs held the damage to one run.

In the decisive second-inning, Gallatin sent nine girls to the plat, with Betty Rogers and Paige Heldenbrand working base on balls around an Abigail Burns strikeout.  A Brynn Bird double drove in Holcomb (running for Rogers) and Heldenbrand to push the lead to 3-0, with an Endicott double driving in Bird.  With Endicott on second base, third baseman Karydon Jones stepped to the dish.  Tom Johnson had the call on KGOZ FM 101.7: 

Platte Valley, the District 8 champions, struck out 10 times in the first four innings against Gallatin’s AnnaBelle Ball, put did manage a third inning run, with a Brylie Angle double followed by a Kali Redden single.

Gallatin added two runs to the lead in the bottom of the 4th inning, as Jones was hit by a pitch, and was moved to third on an Ashley Feiden single.  A Ball blooped single to right scored Jones and Feiden to push the lead to 8-1.  A fifth inning Bulldog run made the score 9-1, with Rogers and Burns cracking back-to-back doubles.

In her final swing for Platte Valley in the top of the 7th, Maggie Collins bashed a home run to left, making the final score 9-3.  

Gallatin advances to a 12 noon state semifinal against the LaPlata Bulldogs on Friday afternoon in Springfield.  LaPlata beat Braymer in a Saturday state quarterfinal 13-3.  LaPlata is 24-5 with Gallatin now 21-3.  The “Battle of the Bulldogs” will be broadcast on KGOZ FM 101.7, with pregame at 11:30 from the Killian Sports Complex.

Marion C. Early beat St. Elizabeth 5-1 while Jamestown outscored Salisbury 18-13 in the other Class 1 quarterfinals.

The South Harrison Lady Bulldogs are into the Class 2 semifinals, playing Carrollton on Friday afternoon at 1:30.  South Harrison won a hotly contested game at Bowling Green on Saturday 4-3, while Carrollton won at Mid-Buchanan 6-5.  In the other Class 2 quarterfinals, Linn went eight innings to beat Elsberry 7-6, while Chaffee claimed an 8-7 win over Iberia.

Other quarterfinal results from Saturday were: 

Class 3: 

St. Francis Borgia 11, Lutheran South 9

Winfield 7, Hallsville 5

Fatima 14, Cassville 0

Oak Grove 3, Savannah 2 (10) 

Class 4: 

Washington 13, Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) 0

Parkway West 11, North Point 1

Helias Catholic 4, Camdenton 3

Kearney 5, Nevada 1

Class 5:

Francis Howell 3, Jackson 1

Troy Buchanan 8, Francis Howell North 0

Blue Springs South 16, Willard 2

Raymore-Peculiar 1, Liberty 0 (9)