Late Game heroics and a tournament MVP for Graham Hunsley helped propel Pierre Post 8 13/14 to win the 20th annual Joe Kirley Memorial Tournament on Sunday, beating Aberdeen 13U 6-5 in the championship game.
Post 8 would finish the tournament at 4-0 scoring a total of 33 runs and giving up just 17. On Friday, Pierre opened the tournament with a 13-9 win over Aberdeen 13/14 as Hunsley would drive in four runs while Trey Linn had a double and had three RBIs in the win. Hunsley was also the winning pitcher going three and two thirds giving up three earned runs on three hits with seven walks and three strikeouts. Blake Hanson and Noah Lathrop got the final four outs combined. On Saturday, the Eights would win 5-2 over Bismarck Americans to win the pool and advance to the semifinals. Hunsley drove in another two runs with Lofton Moody, Stratton Ludemann and Noah Lathrop getting an RBI each. Lathrop had three scoreless innings of relief to get the win on the mound giving up just three hits with two strikeouts. The Eights on Sunday would win 9-1 against the Bismarck Americans again as Peter DeHueck had two RBIs in the win with Hunsley, Linn, Lathrop, Daymian Robideaux, Liam Auble and Zane Smith collect an RBI each. DeHueck would also give up just one run in the five inning complete game win on just one hit.
It led to the championship game against Aberdeen 13U, Pierre opened with a 4-0 lead after one and 5-0 after two, but it would be tied at 5-5 after the top of the third. It remained tied until the bottom of the sixth when Hunsley, with two outs, would drive in the game winning run on a base hit. However, Blake Hanson had to deal with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh and only one out. Hansen would get an infield fly and a line out to preserve the lead and win to capture the Joe Kirley Memorial Championship. Linn and Ludemann each had an RBI and Hunsley drove in two overall as he finished the tournament going 8-11 with nine RBI along with being the winning pitcher in the first game of the tournament to get the MVP.
The Eights are 13-4-1 on the season and have won seven straight dating back to June 7.
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