Racking up three Pitt 8 Tournament victories in the last two years, the Canadian Cougars are hungry for a statement win over No. 13 Kiowa to turn around their season.
Canadian (3-9, 1-2 Pitt 8) won the consolation title in 2023. Canadian beat Haileyville, 13-1, and appeared in last year’s consolation championship before falling to Indianola.
The Cougars have been up and down this season. They lost their first five games, rattled off two consecutive wins against Wewoka and Prue and broke a four-game losing streak with a 20-8 victory against Pittsburg March 27.
Throughout the season, pitcher and shortstop Will Beshear has been a much-needed bright spot. The senior has recorded 30 strikeouts in five starts in addition to a team-leading 11 hits and 14 RBIs.
Canadian enters the tournament as the seven seed and will take on second-seeded Kiowa for the first time this year. The Cougars have not beaten the Cowboys in more than a decade, but they will look to carry momentum from their last win into the tournament.
Canadian’s Pitt 8 Tournament run will begin with a matchup against Kiowa at 5 p.m. Thursday at Haileyville.
