CALEDONIA — Caledonia softball got behind the 8-ball quite literally from the jump during Monday night’s game against New Hope.
The two rival schools represent two of the best softball programs in the Golden Triangle and coming off a game last Friday that saw the Trojans emerge victorious, it was time for payback from the Cavaliers, but it would take quite the offensive response.
After the top of the first inning, some early pitching struggles from Lauren Brown saw the Cavs trail the Trojans, 3-0, but in the bottom half, the bats picked up Brown without a hitch.
Caledonia went on to score six runs in the first, taking a commanding 6-3 lead, and from there, Brown was able to settle down. A three-run lead grew to as many as nine runs as the Cavaliers dominated the Trojans in a 12-4 victory.
“She struggled at first, but she finally settled in,” Caledonia head coach Andy Finch said. “Any time Lauren is pitching, we’ve got a chance at any game we play, anyone we play. She gives us a chance to be competitive, be in a game and hopefully win a game.”
Brown tossed a complete game in the win, giving up just two hits and two walks after that first inning, striking out nine batters in total.
It was a pitching masterclass for Caledonia (3-2), and that, coupled with some clutch and consistent hitting, put the game away fast.
For Brown, having her teammates behind her at the plate helped get some confidence behind her and helped get her rhythm back on the mound.
“When you have a lead, it’s a lot easier to settle down, be comfortable and just throw strikes,” Brown said. “It’s not trying to strike everyone out. Just letting them try to hit the ball because I know I have great fielders behind me.”
As much as Brown dazzled on the mound, it was really a complete effort from the offense, with eight players recording hits, four players having multi-hit games and four players hitting for extra bases.
The biggest sequence of the game was when Avery Johnston stepped up to the plate with one down in the first.
Having scored a run already, Johnston hit the first of three straight RBI doubles for the Cavs as the score flipped from 3-1 to 5-3. Kaitlyn Harris and Summer George also joined in the double party offensively.
“Our girls responded well coming back in on that offensive side of the inning,” Finch said. “We always tell them that if they’re going to make a run, we make a run. You can make a run too, and each new inning is a whole new inning. You can’t carry over the last inning to this inning.
“They just did a great job in responding.”
For New Hope (2-2), what began as an incredibly promising start quickly imploded on the Trojans, who weren’t able to parlay Friday’s win into another rivalry victory.
Some tough decisions at the plate and missed pitches made all the difference as good teams don’t miss opportunities like those.
“I just don’t think we made very good adjustments,” New Hope head coach Casey Finch Halford said. “We just had a weird start to one part of our lineup and we need to have every part of our lineup producing.
“We did a better job adjusting Friday night, and I felt like tonight, once we got down, I don’t feel like we answered back like we did on Friday.”
Caledonia will look to make it two straight against Columbus at 6 p.m. Tuesday, while New Hope tries to get back in the win column on the road against West Lauderdale at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Other scores
Prep baseball
Oak Hill Academy 6, Heritage Academy 0
Oak Hill Academy used a four-run third inning to power itself to a 6-0 shutout of Heritage Academy on Monday in Columbus.
John Ross Craven hit a two-run homer in the big frame for the Raiders after Colin Boyd drove in two runs with a single to center field.
In the fifth inning, Boyd led off with a double, and Smith Chaney brought him home with a single.
Boyd reached on an error to score John Lewis from first base in the sixth.
Oak Hill will host Calhoun Academy at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Heritage Academy will host the Heritage Tournament on Friday and Saturday.
Prep softball
Starkville 18, Philadelphia 6
PHILADELPHIA — The Starkville softball team posted an 18-6 road win Monday at Philadelphia High School.
Jaliyah Conley had three hits for Starkville, including two doubles. Presley Ravencraft and Alex Jones each had a single and a double. Jocelyn Randle tripled for Starkville.
Olivia Mattison was the winning pitcher with seven strikeouts for the Yellow Jackets.
Starkville will play at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Noxubee County.
Prep tennis
Caledonia 6, Columbus 1
Caledonia tennis defeated Columbus, 6-1, on Tuesday afternoon.
Columbus got things started with a straight-set win in girls singles as Alexandria Magee defeated Ashlynn Morrow, 6-3, 6-1. In boys and girls doubles, Caledonia swept both in straight sets, dropping seven combined games in girls doubles and just four in boys doubles.
In boys singles, Austin Logan dominated Jonathan Ross in a 6-0, 6-0 straight-set victory, and to round things out, in mixed doubles, the Cavaliers gave up just one game in a straight-set win.
Caledonia will face off with New Hope in its next match at 4:30 p.m. Monday at Lake Lowndes State Park.
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