Lady Pirates stay perfect in district play

The Preston Lady Pirate varsity fastpitch softball team improved to 4-0 in district play Tuesday evening with a decisive 14-0 victory over the visiting Rejoice Christian Lady Eagles.

The shutout win pushed the Lady Pirates’ season record to 15-4, heading into this weekend’s New Lima Tournament which got underway Thursday at 5 p.m. against the winner of Alex and Strother.

The Preston diamond squad will return to action Tuesday with a home district battle with the Mounds Lady Eagles, then will compete at the Mounds Tournament next Thursday-Saturday.

In Tuesday’s shutout win, the Lady Pirates opened the scoring with nine runs in the bottom of the first then added five in the second for the 14run output. The Preston defense kept the visitors off the scoreboard in the top of the third to end the district contest on the run rule with the host Lady Pirates in front by a 14-0 margin.

Emilie Stidman (2 for 3, single, home run, 2 RBIs) and Mazie Flud (2 for 2, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs) led the offensive production for Preston in Tuesday’s shutout win with two hits apiece. Stidman’s roundtripper came on a 2-run, inside-the-park, home run in the 5-run second.

The other Lady Pirate base hits against Rejoice Christian came on a double by Celeste Pineda, an RBI single by Na’Braijhanae Phillips, an RBI triple by Kinlee Basquez, and a 3-run triple by Kristen Holuby.

Other Preston baserunners in Tuesday’s shutout win were Stidman (error), Holuby (fielder’s choice), Phillip (walk), Basquez (fielder’s choice), Pineda (fielder’s choice), Taylan Starr (RBI fielder’s choice), Josie Cope (fielder’s choice), and Sophia Bunner (error).

Starr went the distance in the circle for Preston to earn the pitching win, striking out six and walking two in three scoreless innings of work.

— Preston 14, Rejoice Christian 0 Rejoice Christian: 0 – 0 – 0 0 -0-4 Preston: 9 – 5 – x 14 – 8 – 0 WP: Taylan Starr LP: Bernett HR: Preston: Emilie Stidman