In high school sports action on Tuesday, Starkville Academy squeaked out a close softball win over Pillow Academy as Oak Hill Academy and Heritage Academy both dropped contests on the diamond
In volleyball, Caledonia took down Starkville in a five-set match that made the Cavs the only area team to nab a win on the court.
Softball
Starkville Academy 2, Pillow Academy 1
The Volunteers’ winning streak improved to four in a row behind another strong pitching performance from Molly Ingram.
Ingram struck out five Mustangs from the circle and gave up only four hits as her Volunteers captured a narrow 2-1 win on Tuesday. The freshman also delivered a single at the plate that helped SA (5-1) score its first run.
After Pillow used a Vols fielding error to tack on a run in the first inning for a 1-0 lead, Ingram dug into a line drive into left field for a single in her first plate appearance before being replaced by Elin Jewell as a base runner. A single by Lauren Adkerson moved Jewell to second base, and a hit by Ella Kate Heflin brought her home to tie the game. SA took the lead for good in the third inning when Adkerson was walked and brought home by a passed ball and a single by Emmi Miller. The Vols, who slightly outhit Pillow 5-4, also got a hit from both Addie Smith and Sarah Montomery.
SA was back on the diamond yesterday at Winona Christian.
Winona Christian 11, Oak Hill Academy 1
Winona Christian used 13 hits and 10 RBI to halt Oak Hill Academy’s winning streak at six games by handing the Raiders an 11-1 defeat.
The Stars leaped ahead early by scoring four runs in the first inning and added one run in each of the second, third, fourth and fifth innings before producing three more in the sixth. OHA’s only run was delivered in the fourth inning when a ground ball by Mollie Caroline Brand brought home Katelyn Lewis.
Kaelyn Pennington started on the mound and only stayed for three innings as she gave up nine hits and six runs (five earned). Brand came in as a replacement and went two innings. Brand struck out two batters but relinquished three hits and four earned runs and walked two Stars. Reese Wooten closed the game, picking up a strikeout and giving up a hit and a run.
The Raiders (6-2), who had seven hits, were led at the plate by Pennington’s two singles. Brand had a hit, along with Parker Higginbotham, Lewis, Lily Reed and Ella Margaret Gable.
Oak Hill had an opportunity to get back in the win column yesterday when it played at Hebron Christian.
Carroll Academy 9, Heritage Academy 5
The Rebels of Carroll Academy took a 7-2 lead over Heritage Academy into the fifth inning and managed to hold off the Patriots’ late comeback hopes as they handed Heritage a 9-5 loss in Carrollton.
The Rebels scored three runs in the first inning, four in the fourth and two more in the fifth to counter the Patriots’ burst of one run in the third and fourth innings and two runs in the fifth. With one out remaining in the bottom of the seventh inning, Annabelle Brislin, who bunted to get on base, managed to steal home from third base for her team’s fifth run of the contest, but a fly out by Aubrey Gray ended the game. Gray pitched all seven innings as she fanned five and walked five Rebels and gave up 12 hits and six earned runs. Lilla Berry hit two doubles and a single at the plate and scored two runs. Grey had two hits, Amelia Sullivan had a double and both Brislin and Kelsey Perkins both had a hit and scored a run.
Heritage (0-5) played at Winston Academy yesterday looking for its first win of the season.
Volleyball
Caldedonia stormed back from a two-set deficit against Starkville by winning the final two sets to capture a 3-2 victory over the visiting Yellow Jackets.
The Cavaliers took the first set 25-23 before Starkville rallied and grabbed the next two sets 25-17 and 25-20. The Cavs captured a narrow 25-20 fourth-set victory to force a match-deciding fifth set, which it won 15-12.
Caledonia, which played at South Pontotoc yesterday, improves to 6-2-1 with the win. Starkville fell to 2-6 and looked for a win yesterday when it played at New Hope.
The Trojans fell to 2-7 on the season by dropping three sets to host school Tupelo on Tuesday.
West Lowndes narrowly dropped two sets to visiting Meridian for a 3-0 loss that moved the Tigers to 1-1 on season.
Meridian claimed the first set 25-13, the second set 25-21 and the third set 25-23. The Tigers, who canceled yesterday’s contest hosting Noxubee County, are back in action on Tuesday hosting Nanih Waiya.
Starkville Academy’s volleyball squad fell to 1-4 Tuesday night as it lost its opening home contest 3-1 to Itawamba Agricultural.
Itawamba won the first set 25-17 and the second set 24-22 before the Vols got on board with a 26-24 third-set victory. Itawamba, though, responded with a 25-18 fourth-set win to take the match. SA looked to rebound yesterday when it played at Tupelo Titans Home School.
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