The Preston Lady Pirates put together an impressive run to the championship game of the Mounds Tournament, showcasing their offensive firepower and pitching dominance in a series of standout performances.
Preston’s tournament journey began with a 16-0 rout over Liberty, fueled by Kynlee Martin’s stellar performance. Martin drove in four runs on two hits, including a three-run double and an RBI single, leading the Lady Pirates’ explosive 12run first inning. Josie Cope, Caris Tecumseh, and Kristin Holuby also contributed to the early offensive outburst, which put Liberty out of reach.
Martin also took control on the mound, pitching one hitless inning with two strikeouts to secure the win. The Lady Pirates ran wild on the bases, steal- ing five bags, while playing flawless defense to secure the victory.
Preston continued their dominance with an 11-0 win over Wilson, powered by a seven-run third inning. Ashleigh Hurt’s two-run single and Na’Braijhanae Phillips’ two-run base hit highlighted the offensive explosion. Josie Cope doubled and Kristin Holuby added an RBI double, as the Lady Pirates controlled the game from start to finish.
Cope earned the win, throwing four shutout innings while striking out four and allowing just one hit. The Lady Pirates, once again, played error-free defense, with Kynlee Martin leading the way with seven defensive plays.
The Lady Pirates faced a setback in the tournament with a 4-0 loss to the Dewar Lady Dragons. Dewar’s Bre Harvell broke the game open with an RBI single in the second inning, and the Lady Pirates struggled to generate offense against Brooke Thomas, who tossed a two-hit shutout.
Despite the loss, Taylan Starr had a strong performance on the mound for Preston, striking out seven while allowing just four runs (two earned) over six innings.
In a thrilling semifinal, the Lady Pirates survived a late rally from the Golden Demons to secure a 4-3 victory. Preston built a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning thanks to a double from Starr and RBI hits from Ashleigh Hurt and Kristin Holuby. The Golden Demons fought back, closing the gap to one run, but Josie Cope’s 10 strikeouts held them off to seal the win.
Starr led Preston with two hits, while Cope’s dominant performance in the circle helped the Lady Pirates advance to the championship.
Preston secured the tournament championship with a 10-2 victory over Dewar in a rematch. The Lady Pirates struck early, scoring five runs in the first inning. Na’Braijhanae Phillips’ two-run homer in the second inning extended their lead, and strong pitching performances from Starr and Kynlee Martin shut down Dewar’s offense.
Phillips led the Lady Pirates at the plate, going 2-for-2 with three RBIs, while Preston’s defense turned two double plays and didn’t commit a single error.
The Lady Pirates gave the Dewar Lady Dragons their first loss of the season.
On Monday, the Lady Pirates shut out the Rejoice Christian Lady Eagles 17-0. Their record is now 23-3.
