The Preston Pirate varsity fall baseball team captured the team championship at the Chad Speer Classic in Glencoe this past Saturday with a 10-0 victory over the Vici Indians.

The shutout win over Vici improved the Pirates’ 2023 fall season record to 6-0, heading into Monday’s home game against the Okay Mustangs. The Preston squad was also scheduled to travel to Wellston on Tuesday and will return home Thursday for a 3-way battle with Okay and Cameron.

At Glencoe, the Pirates earned a spot in Saturday’s championship game following a perfect 3-0 Pool Play record, defeating Wellston (11-1) and the Vici JV (18-0) last Thursday and Oilton (16-0) this past Friday. Vici reached the title game after earning Pool Play wins over Glencoe (9-8), Ripley JV (14-4), and Mulhall-Orlando (3-1), respectively.

In last Thursday’s Pool Play battle with Wellston, the Pirates opened the scoring with six runs in the bottom of the first. Wellston tallied its lone run in the top of the second to make it a 6-1 contest after one and onehalf innings of action.

The Preston squad countered with a run in the bottom of the second, then put the game away on the run rule with four runs in the last of the third for the 11-1 victory.

Kellen Dean led the offensive attack for the Pirates against Wellston, finishing 2 for 3 with a single, home run, and 4 RBIs. Dean’s home run came on a 3-run blast in the first, then add- ed an RBI single in the 4-run third to complete the 2-hit, 4-RBI, game.

The other Preston base hits against Wellston came on a single by Braxton Kennedy, triple by Luke Hankins, RBI single by Easton Shaw, RBI triple by Bradley Winford, and 3-run triple by Hunter McElhannon.

Other Pirate baserunners in the Pool Play opener were Hankins (walk), Shaw (2 walks), Winford (walk), McElhannon (walk), Jayden Herring (walk, hit by pitch), and Dustin Dunlap (walk).

Herring and Kaden Dean each drove in a run in the 4-run third with RBI groundouts.

Kennedy was awarded the pitching win for Preston, allowing one run on no hits, walking three, striking out three, and hitting a batter in three innings of work.

In the shutout win over the Vici JV, the Pirates began the scoring with five runs in the top of the first. The Preston squad added four in the top of the second for a 9-0 advantage, then erupted for nine runs in its half of the third for the 18-0 decision.

Kaden Dean was the top hitter for the Pirates in the shutout win, finishing 3 for 3 with a single, double, triple, and 2 RBIs.

Pepper Gallup also recorded a multi-hit game for Preston against the Vici JV, as the freshman finished 2 for 3 with a pair of singles. Gallup also reached base on an error in the contest.

The other Pirate base hits against the Vici JV came on an RBI single by Kellen Dean, RBI double by Bradley Winford, and 2-run single by Tyce Herring.

Other Preston baserunners in the run-rule victory were Winford (hit by pitch, error), Kellen Dean (walk), Jayden Herring (2 walks, error), Luke Hankins (walk, hit by pitch), Easton Shaw (2 walks), Braxton Kennedy (2 walks, error), and Dustin Dunlap (walk).

Karson Herbert drove in one of the nine Preston runs in the third inning with an RBI groundout, while Kellen Dean added an RBI groundout in the first to finish with 2 RBIs in the contest.

Waylon Cope got the start on the mound for Preston and was awarded the pitching win. Cope gave up one hit, while striking out two in two innings of work. Trae Stidman worked a scoreless inning of relief in the third with one strikeout and allowing one base hit.

In Friday’s Pool Play battle with Oilton, the Pirates began the scoring with nine runs in the top of the first. The Preston squad added seven more runs in its half of the second to complete the 16-run performance.

The Pirate defense kept the Panthers off the scoreboard in the bottom of the second to put the finishing touches on the 16-0, run-rule, victory.

The top hitter for the Pirates against Oilton was Kaden Dean, who finished 3 for 3 with two singles, a triple, and 2 RBIs.

Dustin Dunlap also recorded a multi-hit game for Preston in the Pool Play finale, finishing 2 for 2 with a pair of singles and 2 RBIs.

The other five base hits for the Pirates against Oilton came on a triple by Bradley Winford, RBI singles by Luke Hankins and Braxton Kennedy, and 2-run singles by Jayden Herring and Easton Shaw.

Other Preston baserunners in the final Pool Play contest were Hankins (hit by pitch, error), Shaw (RBI walk), Winford (2 walks, RBI), Kellen Dean (2 walks), and Hunter McElhannon (walk, hit by pitch).

Herring added an RBI sacrifice fly in the second to finish with 3 RBIs in the contest.

Herring allowed two hits and struck out one in one inning of work to earn the pitching win for Preston, while Pepper Gallup retired all three batters he faced in his one inning of relief in the second.

In Saturday’s title game against Vici, the Pirates opened the scoring with four runs in the top of the first for an early 4-0 advantage. The Preston squad added three in each of the next two innings for a 10-0 margin.

The Pirate defense kept the Indians off the scoreboard in the home half of the third to walk away with the shutout victory and the tournament championship.

Kellen Dean (2 for 2, single, home run, 3 RBIs, walk) led the way offensively for Preston with a 2-hit performance. Dean’s home run came on a 3-run blast in the second.

The other four base hits for the Pirates against Vici came on singles by Kaden Dean and Luke Hankins, an RBI single by Hunter McElhannon, and 2-run single by Braxton Kennedy.

Other Preston baserunners in the title game were McElhannon (hit by pitch), Jayden Herring (walk, error), Kaden Dean (hit by pitch, error), Easton Shaw (2 walks, RBI), and Dustin Dunlap (walk).

Hankins drove in one of the three Preston runs in the top of the third with an RBI sacrifice fly.

Shaw was awarded the pitching win for the Pirates against Vici, allowing no runs on one hit with two walks and six strikeouts in three innings of work.

— Glencoe Tournament Pool Play

Preston 11, Wellston 1

Wellston:0-1-0 1-0-0 Preston: 6 – 1 – 4 11 – 7 – 0 WP: Braxton Kennedy LP: Hull HR: Preston: Kellen Dean — Preston 18, Vici JV 0

Preston: 5 – 4 – 9 18 – 8 – 0 ViciJV:0-0-0 0-2-7 WP: Waylon Cope LP: Moss HR: None — Preston 16, Oilton 0

Preston: 9 – 7 16 – 10 – 0 Oilton: 0-0 0 – 2 -5 WP: Jayden Herring LP: Holman HR: None — Championship Preston 10, Vici 0

Preston: 4 – 3 – 3 10 – 6 – 2 Vici: 0-0-0 0-1-2 WP: Easton Shaw LP: Heidlebaugh HR: Preston: Kellen Dean