On a night where few defensive plays were routine, Starkville Academy made two great defensive stops when it needed them most.
Center fielder Drew Pellum made a diving catch to end one threat, while pitcher Hunter Bolin made a game-ending snag to help the Starkville Academy baseball team beat Heritage Academy 4-3 in the season opener for both teams Monday night at Trip Carson Field.
“It feels really great to go on the road and beat the rivals at their place,” Pellum said. “We want to take this momentum now and win the next game. Hopefully, this early momentum can carry us a long way.”
Bolin snagged a come-backer with the potential game-tying run on third base to end the contest. The junior left-hander hurled four innings of shutout relief to earn the victory. He also rapped a two-out, two-run single in the top half of the sixth inning to give his team the lead for good.
“(Heritage pitcher James Clark) threw a curveball on the first pitch to me,” Bolin said. “After that, I watched a fastball, which I missed. I was hoping he would come back with the curve and he did. I kept my weight back and did my job.
“During the offseason, I have been working really hard at hitting the curveball better, so the hit was important for my team, but it was also important because I had really worked at getting better in that area.”
Starkville Academy coach Neal Henry saw the work his team put in in the offseason pay off. While the Volunteers weren’t close to playing a perfect game, Henry saw enough to think his squad may be ready to reach the next level this season.
“When we break down a huddle, we always end on a word,” Henry said. “This year, that word is ‘finish.’ Last year, we lost six games by two or fewer runs. The whole offseason we have tried to establish the mentality of finishing better. We want to finish those games when we are that close.
“Even though we had some stretches that weren’t pretty, I am very proud we found a way to battle back, put some runs on the board, and win the game.”
Starkville Academy scored once in the first on two walks and an error. The Volunteers ran the lead to 2-0 in the second on the first of two hits by Bolin.
Heritage Academy answered with three runs in the third, but it couldn’t overcome six walks, four errors, and 12 runners left on base.
“We played hard, but I am not going to say we played well,” Heritage Academy coach Bruce Branch said. “We made some crucial errors, but more importantly, they were able to capitalize on those errors.
“I think we will have a pretty good offensive team this season. However, we are going to have to get some timely hits early to help set the tone.”
Heritage Academy, which had only four hits, capitalized on two errors, a walk, and two wild pitches in the third. Clark Atkins placed Heritage Academy on top with a two-run single off Pellum, who threw the first three innings. Bolin followed in the fourth and only allowed two hits. He struck out six.
“This win will give us a lot of momentum going into our non-conference schedule,” Bolin said. “It was a huge win on the road, and we did it against two good pitchers. I think this game showed some of the younger guys on the team what we are capable of doing this year. It’s a good start.”
Heritage Academy’s Hunter Ward (five innings) and Clark (two innings) combined to allow five hits and one earned run.
“Our pitchers pitched well enough for us to win,” Branch said. “The gist of the game was the errors. We are going to play aggressive and try to make some things happen. However, we have to be better in the field.”
The Volunteers also made four errors. However, the defensive plays late in the game loomed large. In the sixth, Pellum misplayed a ball with one out and a runner at first base. Still protecting the one-run lead, the junior made amends by racing in and making a diving stab that kept a potential game-tying run off the board.
“I was hoping for another chance,” Pellum said. “I knew I had to come back and make up for that last play.”
Making that last play will be a central theme for the Volunteers. Henry believes his team has enough juniors and seniors to make those critical outs.
“We have been working real hard on the little stuff,” Pellum said. “Little stuff can add up and win you games. Whether it’s battling back in counts, making the right reads, or going a little bit harder to make a play, whatever it takes, we want to make sure we do that this season.”
Starkville Academy will play host to Oak Hill Academy on Thursday, while Heritage Academy will play host to Oak Hill Academy today and Winston Academy on Thursday.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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