Preston tops LeFlore in 12-0 victory

The Preston Pirate varsity fall baseball team kicked off 2023 Monday evening with a 12-0, run-rule, win over the visiting LeFlore Savages.

The season-opening win ended on a run-rule with two outs in the bottom of the third.

The Pirates were back home Tuesday evening, hosting the Red Oak Eagles. The Preston diamond squad will close out the week at the Glencoe Tournament this Thursday-Saturday. In Monday’s opener against LeFlore, the host Pirates opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first. The first run of the 2023 campaign came across to score on a wild pitch with two outs in the opening frame.

Preston doubled its lead to 2-0 with a run in the last of the second on an RBI groundout by Hunter McElhannon.

The Pirates put the game away on the run rule with a 10-run bottom of third with the final seven runs coming across to score with two outs in the inning.

The season-opening win ended on an RBI double by Bradley Winford in the third to award the Pirates the 12-0 victory.

McElhannon got the start on the mound for the Preston squad and was awarded the pitching win, striking out five in three near-perfect innings of mound work.

McElhannon allowed just one base runner to reach base in the contest – a defensive miscue to begin the top of the second.

Kaden Dean led the offensive attack for the host Preston squad, finishing 2 for 2 with a pair of singles and 3 RBIs. Dean also reached base in his third plate appearance, drawing a walk in the first.

The other two base hits for the Pirates in Monday’s season-opening win came on an RBI single by Luke Hankins in the third and Winford’s game-ending RBI double.

Other Preston baserunners against LeFlore were Hankins (RBI walk), Winford (RBI walk), Jayden Herring (2 walks, RBI), Kellen Dean (2 walks, RBI, error), Easton Shaw (walk), and Pepper Gallup (RBI walk).

— Preston 12, LeFlore 0

LeFlore:0-0-0 0-0-3 Preston: 1 – 1 – 10 12 – 4 – 1 WP: Hunter McElhannon LP: Holly HR: None