The postseason for MHSAA softball and baseball began late last week with both Caledonia and New Hope sending squads to compete and both schools advanced to the second round with a pair of triumphant opening-round victories. Here’s a look at what happened.
Caledonia
Coming off a monster regular season, the Cavaliers’ softball team continued its domination in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs Thursday with a double-header sweep of Holmes County Central by a combined score of 42-0. The No. 2 seeded Cavs (23-3) only needed one inning in both games to plate 20 runs in Game 1 and 22 in Game 2 for the victory. In the first game, Caledonia was walked 12 times and got an inside-the-park homer from both Kinsley Bullard and Molly Harlow for two of the team’s three hits. In the finale, the Cavs produced 11 hits and 15 RBI with Emma Parham’s three hits for five RBI leading the way. Kinsley Thomas and Addison Butler also both finished with two hits.
The team advances to the second round where it will take on Region 1-5A foe Lafayette in a series beginning at 6 p.m. Friday at home. Game 2 will be Saturday at 6 p.m. at Lafayette and Game 3, if necessary, will take place at Caledonia at 6 p.m. Sunday. The Commodores booked their ticket to the second round by winning two games over Cleveland Central.
In baseball, Caledonia (19-9) benefitted from a forfeit by its first-round foe Provine and automatically advanced to the second round, where it will play New Hope in a series that begins at home at 7 p.m. Thursday.
New Hope
Similar to its rival Caledonia, the Trojans’ softball team only needed six total innings to trounce its first round foe Vicksburg by a combined score of 36-0 and earn a trip to the quarterfinals.
New Hope won Game 1 18-0 as it got a no-hitter from Kaselyn Harcrow in the circle. She rang up seven strikeouts to keep the Gators at bay while her teammates scored five runs in the first inning and 13 in the second. Kennedi Martin and Tatum McBride both hit a home run with two hits each, and Harper Minton had a three-RBI double. In Game 2, Harcrow had another fabulous outing and gave up only one hit with seven more strikeouts in her team’s 18-0, three-inning series-clinching victory. New Hope (20-12) scored six runs in the first inning and 12 more in the second as the team piled on four doubles, four singles, seven RBI and 10 walks.
The win advances the team to the quarterfinals where it will take on No. 4 seed Pontotoc, which took down Florence in two games in the first round. Game 1 begins at 6 p.m. Friday at New Hope.
The Trojans’ baseball team also found itself in the midst of a rout to begin its postseason trek and bested Cleveland Central in two games by a combined score of 27-2. New Hope (18-11) won the first game 14-1 as it scored four runs in the first inning, two in the second inning, one in the third inning and seven in the fourth. Cleveland Central plated its only run in the fourth as well. Six different Trojans had two hits, and Carson Willis led the team with three RBI. Jack Moore and Brayden Edmiston held down the fort on the mound and combined for six strikeouts, one walk and four hits.
The Trojans closed out the series with a 13-1 win in Game 2. They scored 10 runs in the first inning and three in the third. Edmiston had three of his team’s six hits for two RBI, and Willis had a strong outing on the mound with five strikeouts and only one hit given up.
The Trojans are slated to take on rival Caledonia in the second round of the playoffs, which begins at 7 p.m. Thursday at Caledonia. Game 2 will be played at New Hope and Game 3 will return to Caledonia.
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