On a night when Starkville Academy had 25 base runners, a defensive play may have saved the Volunteers’ season.
Center fielder Drew Pellum’s perfect strike to catcher Colby Runnels retired the potential game-tying run for Heritage Academy at the plate to end the sixth inning. From there, the Volunteers closed the deal, winning 11-10 in the opening game of a semifinal best-of-three-series in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA, Division II playoffs Tuesday night at Trip Carson Field.
The series resumes at 5 p.m. Thursday. If Heritage wins Thursday opener, the teams will play again Thursday night to decide one of next week’s two participants in the state championship series.
Starkville Academy right fielder Hunter Bolin came in in relief and got the final two outs in the seventh inning for the save. An inning earlier, Bolin watched potentially the biggest defensive play of the Starkville Academy season unfold.
“Drew threw a strike,” Bolin said. “Colby did a great job of blocking the plate. That play was a huge momentum changer in the game. That play sealed the game for us.”
The Volunteers (22-9) put on a hitting clinic but failed to deliver the knock-out blow until the end. Starkville Academy had 17 base hits, drew four walks, reached three hit batsmen and also benefitted from two Heritage Academy errors.
“Obviously, this is not the kind of the game we thought we would see,” Heritage Academy coach Bruce Branch said. “I thought pitching and defense would be big factors. They had 17 hits and we had 11 hits. That just goes to show they hit it a little better than we did. They also had a few more timely hits than we did.”
Heritage Academy appeared ready to tie the contest when Thomas DeGrange sent a line shot into center field with two outs in the sixth inning and James Clark at second base. Before making the out, Runnels blocked the plate well in advance of Pellum’s throw drawing the ire of the Heritage faithful. Branch argued the half-inning-ending out call at length.
“Drew has a good arm, I knew the throw would be great,” Runnel s said. “I guess I blocked the plate well enough and did my job. We got the play when we needed it most. It was big no doubt about it.”
Postgame, Branch said the play was simply another “missed opportunity” for his team.
“We knew this would be a tough night,” Branch said. “I thought going in the two teams were evenly matched. It really showed out there tonight. It was a really a grind out there from start to finish. Fortunately, the season does not end here. It would have been a tough way to go out.”
In the lone regular season meeting between the rivals, Starkville Academy took a 4-3 victory the first week of the season. The Patriots (18-13) matched that offensive output in the first inning Tuesday night as Heritage’s M.J. Hamrick launched a massive two-run home run for a 3-0 lead.
“Heritage is such a different team from the first of the season,” Starkville Academy coach Neal Henry said. “They swing it so much better than they did at the first of the year. I thought this series would be all about pitching and defense. Obviously, I was way off on that tonight.”
Starkvile Academy battled back for a 5-3 lead with five runs on four hits in the third inning. John McReynolds had an RBI-single and starting pitcher Ryan McKell had a two-run double in that at-bat.
“They came out and hit us with that bomb right off the bat,” Runnel s said. “We kept competing and we kept battling. Coach told us to remain patient and do the things that we do. With our pitching staff, we always feel like the game can change any time after we have a big inning.”
Instead on this night, the teams were firmly locked into a see-saw battle until the end.
The Patriots had the atypical double steal for a run in the fourth inning. An inning later, Heritage Academy roared back with four scores for an 8-7 advantage. Tyler Marchak laid a safety squeeze bunt down the third base line for the game-tying score. Garrett Hall followed with a line-drive sacrifice fly for the home team’s final lead of the night.
“It was a war between both teams,” Bolin said. “Both teams hit the ball all night. It came down to who was going to do the little things in the clutch. Fortunately, we made a few bigger plays than they did. The game was everything I thought it would be.”
Heritage Academy almost escaped the sixth inning with the lead intact. A potential inning-ending double play ball ended with only out instead after an errant throw by the second baseman. The ground ball itself scored one run, while the bad throw scored another.
The Patriots almost got the gift back. An infield error reached Clark to start the Heritage Academy sixth inning. After a sacrifice bunt and strikeout followed, DeGrange then connected for the apparent game-tying hit.
“Colby did exactly what we teach him to do there,” Henry said. “That has been the story of our season. It is always one guy making a play. It is one guy making a play and another guy depending on another guy to make a play. Drew made an outstanding throw.
“That is the type of play you have to make to win these types of games.”
Alex Holtcamp connected for a critical two-run single in the top of the seventh inning. The Patriots bunched two hits, a walk and a hit batsman together to score twice on their own in the home half of the inning. The fourth batter Bolin faced hit a come-backer to the mound and finally the near three-hour marathon was in the books.
“I was drawing from the energy of the crowd,” Bolin said. “Their fans were cheering against me. Our dugout and our fans were cheering for me. That gave me a big rush out there. I felt relieved when that last ball was hit to me.”
McKell was lifted in the fifth inning for the Volunteers. Winning pitcher Holtcamp entered in relief and worked until giving way to Bolin in seventh inning. Heritage Academy starter Hunter Ward was also lifted in the fifth inning, as Parker Dunaway completed the contest.
Stephen Robertson and McReynolds each had four hits for Starkville Academy. Runnels had three hits in addition to his play at the plate and a caught stealing, thwarting a Heritage Academy threat in the fourth inning.
DeGrange and Tyler Marchak each had multiple hits for Heritage Academy. Only one spot in each lineup went hitless for the contest.
Now the series shifts moves west for a Thursday conclusion.
“We should have a big confidence boost at the plate after 17 hits in this game,” Runnels said. “If we pitch and play defense like we normally do and get 17 hits again, we can make it a quick game.”
Meanwhile, Heritage Academy is hopeful for a long night of baseball.
“This one hurts, it really does,” Branch said. “Everyone is disappointed, but we will come out Wednesday and have a great practice. We will have to pick everybody back up and start over. When the series started we needed to win two games. We still need to do that. Certainly, this team is capable.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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