Pirates power past opponents

The Preston Pirates had an explosive week offensively, recording dominant victories over Caney Valley and Regent Prep.

In a 21-3 win over Caney Valley, Jace Basquez led the charge with a perfect day at the plate, collecting three hits in three at-bats, including a grand slam.

Nick Costanza also secured three hits and stole two bases. Meanwhile, Hunter McElhannon went 2-for-2 with four RBIs, and Caidyn Kyler also went 2-for-2, driving in a pair of runs.

Preston finished with 12 hits in the game. The Pirates also displayed aggressive baserunning, stealing six bases.

Preston followed that performance with a 17-0 victory over Regent Prep, scoring early and often. The Pirates plated seven runs in the second inning, highlighted by an RBI double by Costanza. Basquez drove in a run after being hit by a pitch, and Pepper Gallup and Weston Cope also had RBI opportunities.

— Knights win thriller behind Kaler’s arm Over on the baseball diamond, the Henryetta Knights delivered one of the most impressive pitching performances of the week.

Senior pitcher Haiden Kaler struck out 13 batters as Henryetta defeated the Prague Red Devils 6-4 in a game that eventually stretched into extra innings.

Kaler worked 6⅓ innings, allowing only three hits while battling through multiple baserunners and demonstrating strong command throughout the game.

Henryetta opened the scoring in the second inning when a double play allowed the Knights to bring home the first run of the game.

A balk in the third inning pushed the Henryetta lead to 2-0.

Prague answered with a three-run rally in the bottom of the third inning, capitalizing on a dropped third strike and an error before Kolten Yeager delivered a sacrifice fly to give the Red Devils the lead.

Henryetta tied the game in the fourth inning when James Joslin lifted a sacrifice fly, and the Knights regained the lead in the fifth after Hunter Bowdler drew a walk with the bases loaded.

Prague responded again when Talan Thomas doubled to center field, knotting the score at four.

The two teams battled through several tense innings before Henryetta finally broke through in the 10th inning.

EJ Glover singled down the left-field line, followed shortly by another RBI single from Landen Jones, providing the decisive runs.

On top of his standout pitching performance, Kaler also led the Henryetta offense with three hits and a pair of stolen bases.

Glover and Silkwood also had multiple-hit performances, while Landen Jones and James Joslin drove in runs.

Henryetta finished with 12 hits and five stolen bases in the victory.

Reliever Mavrix Randleman earned the win, pitching 3⅔ scoreless innings.

— Eagles battle tough Metro Christian squad The Morris Eagles faced a strong Metro Christian team in a pair of contests.

Metro Christian took the first game 20-1, using an 11-run first inning to set the tone.

Dayton Andrews went 2-for-2 for the Eagles, driving in a run.

In a second matchup, Metro Christian earned a 13-2 win.

Gage Ausbrook started on the mound for Morris, pitching 2⅓ innings and striking out two.

Despite the tough results, Morris saw encouraging offensive efforts and continued development early in the season.

— Lady Dragons roll against Crower, fall to Preston The Dewar Lady Dragons defeated Crowder in a dominant 11-1 victory at home.

The team piled up 16 hits, including multiple-hit performances from Miracle Story, Emmy Hall, Jadyn Ross and Cali Thomason, who also secured the win.

Dewar went on to fall to the county-rival Preston Lady Pirates on Tuesday in a 14-4 road loss.

Emmy Hall led the team with a pair of hits and a home run, followed by a two-hit performance from Paige Farrow. Jadyn Ross also drove in a run.

Despite the loss, Dewar showed solid offensive production against a strong Preston lineup.

— Lady Pirates unleash offensive fireworks Few teams in the county had a more explosive performance this week than the Preston Lady Pirates, who powered their way to a convincing 14-4 victory over the Dewar Lady Dragons.

The night belonged to Olivia Beaver, who delivered a huge performance at the plate, blasting two home runs and driving in four runs to lead Preston’s offensive outburst.

Dewar struck first in the top of the opening inning when Emmy Hall launched a solo home run to left field, giving the Lady Dragons an early advantage and briefly quieting the Preston crowd.

But the Lady Pirates quickly answered.

Alynn LeBlanc singled to center field in the bottom of the first inning, tying the contest and setting the tone for what would become a long night for Dewar pitchers.

The Lady Dragons regained the lead in the second inning when Jadyn Ross grounded out to score a run, putting Dewar back in front 2-1.

That lead was short-lived. Preston erupted in the bottom of the second inning to seize control of the game. Tyleigh Edwards tripled to center field, followed by an RBI double from Aiyana Beaver, while Kristin Holuby added a sacrifice fly, helping Preston take a 4-2 lead.

The Lady Pirates never looked back. In the third inning, Olivia Beaver connected on a towering two-run home run to left field, extending the Preston lead and igniting the home crowd.

Dewar attempted to stay within striking distance in the fourth inning when Paige Farrow homered to center field, but Preston answered immediately with its most explosive inning of the night.

Five runs crossed the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Lady Pirates’ bats stayed red hot. The inning featured a solo home run from Kynlee Martin, an RBI double from Ashleigh Hurt, an RBI single from Brooklyn Gernter and a two-run homer from Olivia Beaver.

Preston capped the scoring in the fifth inning with four more runs. Martin homered again, and Sophia Bunner ripped a three-run double, pushing the final margin to 14-4.

The Lady Pirates finished with 19 hits in the game, demonstrating depth throughout their lineup.

Olivia Beaver led the Lady Pirates with three hits, including a pair of home runs. Martin also hit two home runs, while Edwards, Hurt, LeBlanc, Aiyana Beaver and Bunner had multiple-hit performances at the plate.

Kristin Holuby earned the win in the circle, pitching five innings while allowing six hits and four runs and striking out four.

For Dewar, Emmy Hall and Paige Farrow each collected two hits, while Hall, Farrow and Jadyn Ross recorded RBIs.

Despite the loss, Dewar showed flashes of offensive potential with timely hits and two home runs. — Lady Dogs pick up win over Liberty

The Okmulgee Lady Bulldogs added a victory to the county scoreboard this week with a 7-3 win over the Liberty Lady Tigers.

Okmulgee opened the scoring in the first inning when an error allowed the Lady Bulldogs to bring home the first run of the contest.

Liberty briefly seized momentum in the bottom of the inning, plating three runs following an error, a single and a walk.

The Lady Bulldogs responded quickly. In the second inning, Zaryn L. delivered an RBI single, tying the game at three.

Okmulgee then regained control in the third inning as Alexis R. and Odella N. each drew bases- loaded walks, allowing two runs to cross the plate.

The Lady Bulldogs maintained their lead for the remainder of the game.

Pitcher Kaidence M. worked 3⅓ innings, allowing two hits while striking out four.

One key factor in the victory was the Lady Bulldogs’ discipline at the plate. Okmulgee hitters drew 11 walks, consistently forcing Liberty pitchers to work deep counts.

— Bulldogs face tough early schedule

The Okmulgee Bulldogs baseball team continues to battle through a difficult early-season schedule against larger programs.

Recent results include losses to Oklahoma Christian School and Meeker, both Class 3A opponents.

Results this week included:

• Oklahoma Christian School 12, Okmulgee 0

• Oklahoma Christian School 17, Okmulgee 0

• Meeker 25, Okmulgee 0

• Meeker 24, Okmulgee 0 A scheduled game against Mounds was postponed.

Despite the challenging results, the Bulldogs continue to gain valuable experience early in the season as the team works to develop its lineup and pitching rotation.