WEST POINT — Marion Bratton knows the Oak Hill Academy fast-pitch team has plenty of things it needs to work on.
But when it comes to season openers, the veteran coach liked enough of what he saw Friday afternoon not to be too upset.
Right-handed pitcher Mamie Allen and third baseman Maegen Ellis made sure they did their best to keep their coach smiling.
Allen allowed just two hits in six strong innings, while Ellis had two triples, an RBI, and reached base three times to lead Oak Hill Academy to a
6-1 victory against Heritage Academy in the Mississippi Association of Independent School season opener for both teams.
“I knew we would be a little rough at the plate early because we don”t get enough looks from arms in practice,” Bratton said. “This week, we missed being on the field twice. Defensively, I was pleased. I hated it that it got into the fourth inning before we scored some runs.”
Oak Hill Academy used a leadoff triple by Ellis, a single by Anna Lummus, two stolen bases, and a wild pitch against starting pitcher Allie Lowe to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Heritage Academy cut the lead in half in the top of the third, but Allen settled back down and was dominating. She struck out 11 and walked only one.
Meanwhile, Lowe also settled down and kept the Lady Raiders off the scoreboard until the fourth. Meg McBrayer reached on a bloop single and went all the way to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Codi Williams. An errant throw back to third allowed McBrayer to score. With two outs, Ellis” second triple of the day made it 4-1.
“Codi laid down a heck of a bunt to get us going,” Bratton said.
Ellis, a sophomore, hit leadoff last season and teamed with Tori Ellis to form a potent punch at the top of the order. With the loss of Paige Dawkins and Mary Helon Hays in the middle of the lineup, Bratton said he will need Maegen Ellis and Lummus, a left-handed hitter capable of moving runners, to set the table and to make things happen so the Lady Raiders will be able to manufacture runs.
“(Maegen) and Tori were my co-MVPs last year,” Bratton said. “They both hit 430-plus, Maegen had 30 stolen bases, Tori had 30-plus RBIs and played seven positions. Maegen won some really big games in the circle when Mamie went down (with an injury). She has been my bat girl since the sixth grade, and I like her a lot.”
Oak Hill Academy tacked on two more runs in the fifth. Allen doubled and her pinch runner went to third on a wild pitch on a strikeout and scored on a wild pitch. McBrayer, who reached on the strikeout, stole second base and took the next two bases on wild pitches.
That was all Allen needed, as she shut the Lady Patriots down in order in the sixth to end the time-limit game.
“I was proud of Mamie,” Bratton said. “She had two strikes on one batter and grooved one, and we just don”t do that with two strikes. We got better today, and we will try to get better Monday (against Starkville Academy).”
Oak Hill Academy played without Kim Kelly and Jessi Cole, who were competing with their West Point tennis team.
Like Bratton, Heritage Academy coach Bud Lowe feels his team, which has only one upperclassman, a junior, on the roster, has things it needs to address that will come with more practice time.
“We let them have four runs from third base, which hurt,” said Lowe, referring to three runs scored on wild pitches and another on a throwing error. “In the first inning, they scored two runs that they probably shouldn”t have. My book had them for only three hits, and we preach to them about giving a team only three outs in an inning.”
Despite the runs the Lady Patriots gave away, Lowe said his team has come a long way since last season when it lost to Oak Hill Academy by double digits. This year, he can tell the loss means more to his players, which is a good sign they are maturing and understanding what it takes to compete.
“I am pleased with the approach they”re taking,” Lowe said. “We haven”t faced a pitcher that fast. We have a pitching machine coming Monday, and you could tell we were a little behind. The hitting will come.”
Still, Heritage Academy showed signs of promise. Bradley Bozeman, hitting in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, had an RBI double in the third that scored Rachel Stukenborg, who reached on a one-out error. Brooklyn Waldrep had the only other hit for the Lady Patriots, a single in the fourth. The Lady Patriots had at least one strikeout in each inning.
“Overall, I would give it a ”C” in some respects in a ”B+” in others,” Lowe said. “They look good in their new uniforms.”
Allie Lowe allowed five hits, struck out four, and walked three.
n Winston Academy 11, Central Academy 9: At Macon, Blake Rigdon and Logan Waggoner paced the Lady Vikings” hitting attack in their season-opening loss.
“We hit the ball really well and put the ball in play, but we had a couple of errors,” Central Academy coach Sammy Lindsey said. “I am pleased with the effort. I saw a lot of positives.”
Central Academy will play host to Heidelberg Academy at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
n Magnolia Heights 5, Hebron Christian 4; Hebron Christian 9, Kirk Academy 0: At Senatobia, Chloe Tapley strong in the circle in a pair of four-inning games at the season-opening Magnolia Heights tournament.
In the first game, Tapley (six strikeouts) allowed only one hit, but coach Cass Tapley said his team made “physical and mental errors” that allowed Magnolia Heights, a Class AAA team in the Mississippi Association of Independent School, to steal the victory. Hebron Christian is a Class A school.
Rebecca Faulkner and Tapley (run) had the only hits for the Lady Eagles. Alaina Hill scored two runs and Holly Hudson scored one.
In game two, Tapley allowed two hits and struck out nine.
Hill, Faulkner, and Beverly Blake had doubles, Tapley had a hit and scored two runs, and Hudson had two hits and scored a run.
Hebron Christian will play North Delta Academy at noon today and Lee Academy (Ark.) at 3 p.m. today in its final games at the tournament.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.