East Prairie softball knocks it out of the park at Swing Pink Tournament

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — The East Prairie softball team hit a home run both on and off the field, winning the Swing Pink Tournament-White Division and helping raise money for breast cancer research in the process.

The Eagles (11-6) displayed grit and determination throughout the tournament, finishing with a 3-0 record after earning wins against Dexter (5-7), Ellington (11-5) and Twin Rivers (11-8) on Saturday, April 22 at McLane Park in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. East Prairie scored 36 runs in those games while allowing just nine.

“Things are starting to click for the girls,” said East Prairie coach Jade Marcum. “They are trusting their abilities more and it is showing in their performance. First place was most definitely the goal and they came in ready to fight for it. To play in this tournament as many years as [East Prairie] has and finally take home first place was a testament to the talent we have on this team and that their work is paying off.”

Addi Aters earned the win on the mound during a 12-1 win over Dexter. She pitched 4.2 innings and didn’t allow any earned runs on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Kennedy Cogdill earned the complete-game wins on the mound in a 7-5 win over Ellington and a 17-5 win over Twin Rivers.

She pitched all five innings, allowing one earned run on five hits with six strikeouts and one walk against Ellington. She threw six innings, allowing three earned runs on 10 hits with nine strikeouts and one walk against Twin Rivers.

Tori Stinnett led the Lady Eagles at the plate, going 8-for-11 with eight RBIs in the tournament. She also scored five runs and had two home runs and three doubles.

“Winning this tournament confirms that we are headed in the right direction with this program,” Marcum concluded. “It gives me great joy to know that we are making [former East Prarie] coach [Steve] Stokes proud in all that we are accomplishing.”

East Prairie hosts Oak Ridge (7-4) on Tuesday, April 25, and travels to Caruthersville (1-12) on Thursday, April 27.

__EAST PRAIRIE 12, DEXTER 1, F/5__

E. Prairie 350 22x x — 12 11 1

Dexter 100 00x x — 1 2 7

W—Addisyn Aters. L— Amelia Jenkins. 2B—East Prairie: Tori Stinnett. 3B—Dexter: Kinleigh Chappell. HR—East Prairie: Stinnett.

__EAST PRAIRIE 7, ELLINGTON 3, F/5__

Ellington 003 00x x — 3 5 1

E. Prairie 003 40x x — 7 8 5

W—Kennedy Cogdill. L—Briley Borna. 2B—Ellington: Borna; East Prairie: Tori Stinnett, Cogdill, Katie Brewer.

__EAST PRAIRIE 17, TWIN RIVERS 5, F/6__

E. Prairie 001 42(10) x — 17 18 0

T. Rivers 001 004 x — 5 10 7

W—Kennedy Cogdill. L—Alexis Parson. 2B—East Prairie: Tori Stinnett; Twin Rivers: Charly Johnson, Abigail Suiter, Parson. HR—East Prairie: Stinnett.