STARKVILLE — It sure didn’t look like a rivalry game.
Calliope Koiva faced the minimum nine hitters, reached base three times and scored three runs Thursday as Starkville Academy rolled to an easy 19-0 three-inning win over Heritage Academy.
Koiva didn’t exactly have a banner day at the plate; she was hit by a pitch all three times she stepped into the batter’s box. She was also the only Starkville Academy player to bat three times, as the Volunteers replaced every other starter after taking a 15-0 lead after the first inning.
“It is pretty frustrating getting hit, but it’s a free base,” Koiva said. “I was just ready to hit, but they decided to hit me.”
It wasn’t just Koiva getting plunked by Patriots pitchers; the Vols were hit 10 times and drew nine walks. That explains how the home team scored 19 runs on three hits, only one of which left the infield.
That was a two-run single past third base by left fielder Arden Parker in her second at-bat of the first inning. She drove in a run the first time as well, when Fallon Parker beat the throw home on a grounder to third. That meant Arden Parker was the only Volunteer batter to make contact twice.
“Whether it’s a fast pitcher you’re seeing or a not-so-fast pitcher … either way you’re going to have to hit it and put the ball in play,” she said.
There wasn’t much of that Thursday from either team. The difference was the Volunteers had Koiva doing the pitching. An infield single was erased on an odd double play when the Heritage Academy runner attempted to take second base on a fly to right, an easy throw for Ali Grace Williams.
Other than that, the ball never left the infield against Koiva, who came out firing with the end in sight in the top of the third. She needed four pitches to get the first two outs, then got the final batter swinging at strike three.
“I’ve just been told to throw strikes and they were kind of giving us a little, so I just came out here and threw strikes and got my job done,” Koiva said.
As for all that time on the bench waiting for a teammate — any teammate — to make an out, Koiva said it was easy to keep her head in the game.
“I like to watch batters bat and cheer for them the whole time, she said.
And, of course, there was the opponent.
“It’s our rival,” Arden Parker said. “You always want to beat them.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 29 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 29 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Join the Discussion