If there was one thing that the Jackson Parish 8U Girls All-Stars proved this past weekend it is that they have the ability to swing a strong stick. By collecting 86 hits and scoring 55 runs in just 15 innings of play, the locals won three of four games to finish as runner-up in the pre-district tournament played in Sterlington.  

JP8U opened the tourney by taking a 15-14 victory over Caldwell and then followed that up by blasting Benton 21-14. In game three, host Sterlington was no match as Jackson Parish won by a 14-2 margin setting up a finals matchup against West Monroe, who made a late rally to win by an 8-6 margin. 

Jackson Parish 15 Caldwell 14: Jackson Parish stormed out to an 11-1 lead after two and then hung on for the close victory. Abigail Sullivan, Caylee Mauthe, Presley Carpenter and Carrington Bond all got three hits apiece and both Ella Siddon and Ryleigh Puffer were a perfect 2/2 as JP8U collected 25 hits. Macie Halbrook, Kylee-Ann Allen and Savannah Porter also got two hits each while Charley Linton smashed a double and both Miriam Shuler and Cadie Conn hit singles as every player contributed to the impressive hit total.

Jackson Parish 21 Benton 14: Presley Carpenter hit two home runs, including a grand slam and both Miriam Shuler and Cadie Conn hit “round trippers” to pace JP8U to their highest run total of the tourney. Abigail Sullivan, Ella Siddon,  Carpenter and Conn led the way with three hits apiece with Kylee-Ann Allen, Macie Holbrook, Savannah Porter, Carrington Bond, Ryleigh Puffer, Shuler and Charley Linton getting two knocks each. It was a total team effort as all eleven on the roster got at least two hits and scored one or more runs in the three inning affair. 

Jackson Parish 14 Sterlington 2: For the third game in a row, JP8U scored seven first inning runs Ten hits led to seven first inning runs. Abigail Sullivan and Presley Carpenter continued their perfection at the plate over three games with another three for three effort with Macie Halbrook and Cadie Conn also got three hits. Ella Siddon, Caylee Mauthe, Savannah Porter and Charley Linton chipped in with two knocks each while Miriam Shuler slapped a double and both Ryleigh Puffer and Kylee-Ann Allen hit singles as once again ever player got at least one hit. 

West Monroe 8 Jackson Parish 6: A five run third inning by West Monroe proved to be the difference as a last inning rally by the locals fell short. Finally running out of gas after blitzing their way to the finals, JP8U managed just three runs over the first four innings before scoring three in the final frame. Abigail Sullivan and Presley Carpenter, who hit her third home run of the tourney, turned in another three hit effort to give both a perfect 12 for 12 showing over the four games. Cadie Conn reached base three times for the third game in a row with Macie Halbrook doing the same for her second straight time. Ella Siddon smashed a triple, Kylee-Ann Allen added a double and Miriam Shuler, Charley Linton, and Ryleigh Puffer all reached base.