Bulldogs Secure Fourth District Title with Shutout Victory
/The Kearney Bulldogs clinched their fourth consecutive district championship on Tuesday, October 21, delivering a dominant performance against the Platte County Pirates with a 9-0 shutout victory.
Senior Alyssa Quick powered the Bulldogs’ offense, blasting two home runs and driving in four runs. Quick’s first homer came in the opening inning, sending the ball over center field and putting Kearney on the board with a two-run shot. She struck again in the third, launching another home run to center and adding two more runs to the scoreboard.
Pitcher Kate Landewee was unstoppable in the circle, throwing a complete seven-inning shutout. Landewee racked up 17 strikeouts, holding Platte County scoreless and keeping their batters off balance throughout the game. The senior pitcher also broke the Kearney High School record for single season strikeouts. The old record stood at 208. Landewee now has 225 strikeouts.
Kearney’s bats stayed hot through the early innings. In the second, Kate Stumpenhaus added to the lead with a solo home run to left field on a full count. By the end of the third inning, the Bulldogs had built a comfortable cushion, while Platte County struggled to generate offense.
Platte County pitcher Danica Salisbury took the loss, allowing seven runs on six hits over four and two-thirds innings. She struck out one and walked six. The Pirates managed only one hit during the contest, with Bryli Seifert going one-for-two at the plate.
The Bulldogs showed patience at the plate, drawing eight walks during the game. Both Quick and Caroline Jury led the team with two walks apiece. Quick and teammate Brooke Paalhar each collected two hits, helping Kearney control the tempo and keep the pressure on Platte County’s defense.
With this victory, Kearney adds another district championship to their record and moves forward with momentum into a run for the State Title. The Bulldogs will face the Belton Pirates on Saturday, October 25, in the Class 4 State Quarterfinal round.
KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.