WEST POINT — After storming out to an 8-0 lead in the second inning, Starkville Academy softball looked like it had a potential run-rule victory ahead of itself against Oak Hill Academy Tuesday night.
However, as has been the case with this local rivalry in recent years, the Raiders didn’t back down, cutting the lead to 8-6 by the fifth inning.
A blowout became a close affair, but the Vols had the last say on this day, scoring 14 runs in the top of the seventh for a 22-6 blowout win, their third-straight victory to begin the 2023 season.
“We had three good innings offensively,” Starkville Academy head coach Lee Berryhill said. “We had a chance early to put it away and we didn’t. Give Oak Hill credit for fighting back and getting into the ballgame, but then we stepped up and finished it. I’m proud of the girls. We did fight back.”
The bats came alive early against Raiders starter KK Pennington, and came back to life late, but the middle innings saw the offense dormant as Oak Hill (2-1) started their rally.
Vols (3-0) staff ace Calliope Koiva lost a bit of control in the circle, walking and hitting batters, which gave the Raiders a glimmer of hope to fight back, but she gained her control back late.
“I did my job,” Koiva said. “Everyone makes mistakes. I had a few walks, a few hit batters, but I didn’t let their dugout rattle me. I didn’t try to let their baserunners get in my head. … We put the bat on the ball in the later innings. We didn’t let the pressure break us and we put the game away.”
Starkville Academy has an influx of youth on this season’s team, carrying just two seniors into the season.
That youth showed up and showed out on Tuesday night, most notably, eighth-grader Molly Ingram, who came in the seventh inning to shut things down.
“We have to because we are a young team,” Berryhill said. “I believe we started something like three eighth-graders tonight. We just have to get the older players to stay consistent, be dogs, and let the younger players continue to fight through.”
Starkville Academy had an early exit in the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Class 5A playoffs last season, something the program is looking to avoid this season.
While early on, a win like what transpired on Tuesday is a good sign for the future, especially against a familiar opponent like Oak Hill Academy.
“It shows that we’re ready to fight and we’re not going to let a few errors put us down,” Koiva said. “We’re going to play through the pressure and keep our heads up with every play we make.”
While the fundamentals are a work in progress, the Vols’ explosive offense was on full display during the 14-run seventh inning and the five-run second.
Starkville Academy softball is looking to make a deep playoff run and that run starts now.
“Every year is different,” Berryhill said. “You can’t go by last year because players come and go. We’re just trying to get better every day.”
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