The Preston Pirates baseball and softball teams hit the diamond last week with a packed slate of games, showing flashes of promise despite tough losses for the boys and a dominant shutout win by the girls.
The Preston Pirates baseball and softball teams hit the diamond last week with a packed slate of games, showing flashes of promise despite tough losses for the boys and a dominant shutout win by the girls.
--- Preston Baseball Recap Durant 5, Preston 2
The Preston Pirates came up short against the Durant Lions on Thursday, falling 5-2 in a tightly contested battle.
Durant wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning with an RBI single from Cole Robbins. An error in the third extended their lead to 2-0 before they added three more insurance runs.
Preston starter Hunter McElhannon struck out seven and allowed just two earned runs over four innings of work, but the Pirates couldn’t produce enough run support.
Kaden Dean and Pepper Gallup led the Preston offense with two hits each. Gallup and Noah Wilson each picked up an RBI. The Pirates also turned a double play on defense.
--- Stats
• Hunter McElhannon: 4 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 7 K, 1 BB
• Kaden Dean: 2-for-3
• Pepper Gallup: 2-for-3, RBI
• Noah Wilson: RBI --- Tushka 11, Preston 5
Later that day, Preston fell 11-5 to the Tushka Tigers in a game where they actually out-hit the opposition 10-5.
Despite solid offensive output, including two hits each from Braxton Clarkson and Weston Cope, the Pirates were hurt by early defensive miscues and walks that allowed Tushka to build a lead.
Kaden Dean was lights-out in relief, fanning 11 batters across four innings and surrendering just one hit. Starter Jace Basquez went one inning, allowing one earned run.
Offensively, Jayden Herring, Basquez and Noah Wilson each drove in a run.
--- Stats
• Jace Basquez: 1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, K, BB
• Kaden Dean: 4 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 11 K, 3 BB
• Braxton Clarkson: 2-for-3
• Weston Cope: 2-for-3 --- Preston Softball Recap Preston 12, Beggs 0
The Lady Pirates showed no mercy in their Thursday home game against Beggs, cruising to a 12-0 win behind a monster second inning that saw eight runs cross the plate.
Aiyana Beaver, Kristin Holuby, Na’Braijhanae Phillips and Kynlee Martin all delivered big hits. Holuby crushed a three-run triple, and Martin followed with a three-run homer. In the third inning, Taylan Starr added to the fireworks with a two-run blast to left field.
Holuby also picked up the win in the circle, allowing only two hits over three shutout innings.
Preston finished with 12 hits, led by two each from Beaver, Holuby, Starr and Phillips. Holuby and Martin both recorded three RBIs.
Beggs managed just two hits, one each by Angel Aylor and Ruby Tenison.
--- Stats
• Kristin Holuby: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R; 2-for-2, 3 RBI, 3B
• Kynlee Martin: 1 HR, 3 RBI
• Taylan Starr: 2-for-2, HR, 2 RBI
• Na’Braijhanae Phillips: 2-for-2, 1 RBI
• Aiyana Beaver: 2-for-2, 2 RBI
