Eagles win 6th straight conference championship

by Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News

Mission accomplished!

The Grain Valley Eagles charged up their battery and accomplished their first team goal of the season.

The battery of starting pitcher Molly Jones and catcher Olivia Slaughter provided much of the power to the Eagles offense while Jones allowed just one run on the mound in an 8-1 victory over visiting Platte County Monday afternoon.

The win gives the Eagles a 23-6 overall record and perfect 12-0 mark in the Suburban White Conference.

"The win gives us at least a share of the title, as we still have two games left - including one at Platte County later this week," coach Flip Courter said. "This is our first goal of the season and the girls got the job done tonight. I'm really proud of them.

"Molly had a lot of 3-2 counts and walked three, but when she needed a big pitch she got it, and that was Olivia's third straight game with a home run."

The game started with a monster first inning for the Eagles.

"We got off to a great start," Courter said. "In the bottom of the first, Kenzie Rust led off with a double and scored on a single by her sister Madison. After a fielders choice by Abe Scott, Sydnee Wagner singled and Molly Jones cranked a three run homer to put us up 4-0. Olivia Slaughter later hit a solo homer to centerfield to put us up 5-0.

"I absolutely loved seeing that first inning. The girls came out very focused. Jones didn’t have her best stuff tonight as she walked three batters, which is the most she’s walked in a game this year, but she made big pitches when she needed to and the defense made every play they needed to make also. That was highlighted by an incredible diving stop by Scott that saved a run when Platte County was mounting a rally in the fifth inning."

Jones also had an RBI sacrifice fly in the fourth and the Eagles scored two runs in the fifth on a Platte County error and Kenzie Rust's sacrifice ground out.

"This was such a fun game," Jones said. "Going out in the top of the second inning (to pitch) I felt so confident with that 5-0 lead. We didn't play a great game, but we had some great moments. And when I struggled, I had Olivia out there to calm me down."

The two longtime best friends hugged after that comment.

"This was a big win in a rivalry game," Slaughter said. "Molly is so great in pressure situations. When I thought she needed a reset, I went out to talk to her and I could see her calm down. The win completes one of our goals, but we have a lot of softball left this season."
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​The Grain Valley Eagles defeated visiting Platte County 8-1 Monday afternoon to win their sixth consecutive Suburban White Conference championship. Molly Jones (fourth from the left on the back row), who hit a three-run homer, was the winning pitcher and Olivia Slaughter (far right on the first row) added a solo home run. Photo courtesy Grain Valley softball team. Photo credit: Bill Althaus, Grain Valley News
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