Tigers Unravel in District Finals Against Platte Valley

 Worth County started off strongly against Platte Valley, scoring the first two runs of the game, but unraveled in the fourth inning and fell apart as they were run ruled 12-2 after five.

The Tigers worked around an error to get out of the first inning, and then Kambree Briner reached on a bad hop single, Kristen Tracy singled to right and the ball got away from Kenzie Redden in right as Briner scored and Tracy took third. Kynah Steele laid down a perfect bunt and made it as Tracy scored to make it 2-0.

But with one out in the second, the bottom of the order came through for Platte Valley as Emalee Langford and Delaney Wolf singled, Mackenzie Swinford walked to load the bases, and Kenzie Redden, who had struggled against Albany, crushed a single into right field. But Tiger right fielder Rylee Ruckman gunned down Wolf at the plate to preserve the 2-1 lead.

The Tigers struggled to piece anything together against Wolf, but it looked like the lead would hold up for a while. Rylee Ruckman ran down Brylie Angle’s pop fly in foul territory in the third, which turned out huge when Kali Redden doubled and Maleeah Bliley and Emalee Langford walked. Delaney Wolf popped out to Brooklyn Richardson to end the threat.

The bottom of the order was coming up for Platte Valley in the fourth inning; but with one out, Kenzie Redden crushed a double to right and Maggie Collins’ bad hop double put runners on second and third. That opened up the floodgates, and all hell broke loose. There were four errors, three walks, doubles by Maleeah Bliley and Maggie Collins, and a base hit by Kali Redden. By the time the dust had settled, Platte Valley was up 11-2 after four, and it would have been worse had not Tiger center fielder Riley Ridge ran down Bliley’s screamer that would have been extra bases.

In the fifth, an uncalled pop fly dropped in and put Emalee Langford on second; she took third on a wild pitch and Delaney Wolf’s sac fly finished it.