Action on the diamond is in full swing at high school all across the area with baseball and softball teams finding out how they stack up in the early-season slate. Caledonia’s softball team grabbed its ninth straight win of the season last week while Starkville fell just one run shy of a remarkable comeback on Monday.
Starkville
A long trip to the Gulf Coast for the Battle at the Beach tournament for Starkville’s baseball team on Monday turned ugly quickly as Gulfport raced off to a 9-2 lead by the seventh inning, but with their backs against the wall the Jackets ignited their offense.
Starkville piled on seven runs to suddenly tie the game at 9-9, but their comeback hopes were dashed in the bottom of the final frame as the Admirals plated a game-winning run to hand Starkville a stinging 10-9 defeat – its second loss in its last three games.
The Jackets (8-5, 1-1 Region 2-7A) out-hit Biloxi 10-5 with Tyson Knox, Taj Prater and Marcus Hendrix each producing two hits. Kaden Wilson and Hendrix also each knocked in two runs to help the team rack up six RBI.
In softball, the Jackets picked up their fifth win of the season in a narrow 8-6 victory over West Point on Saturday.
The Green Wave (4-10) plated five runs in the third inning and one more in the fourth while the Jackets scored one run in the third and five in the fourth, but Starkville found the difference in the fifth by adding two more runs.
Kalyn Kent led the Jackets (5-7) with three hits and three runs from the plate, and Emma Prewitt held down the fort in the circle by fanning three and walking six with eight hits and four earned runs.
Starkville’s softball team began region play against Madison Central yesterday while its baseball team continued tournament play against Second Baptist. West Point’s softball team hosts Eupora on Monday while its baseball team played St. Joseph Catholic yesterday.
Starkville Academy
The Volunteers’ excellent start to the baseball season improved even more Saturday with a 15-7 victory over Germantown.
Behind 11 hits, SA had already notched two runs in the first inning, four in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth and five in the fifth before the Mavericks got across home plate for the first time. Germantown plated all seven of its runs in the fifth inning on nine hits. The Vols, who are on a four-game win streak, played South Panola Tuesday and host Briarcrest Christian today at 6:30 pm.
New Hope
The Trojans’ baseball team kept its win streak alive on Monday in a tight 3-2 victory over Friendship Christian.
Both teams scored one run in the first inning and New Hope pulled ahead in the second by adding one more run for a brief 2-1 lead. Friendship plated the tying run in the third inning, and New Hope (7-4) went out in front for good in the fourth with one more run for its fourth straight win.
In softball, New Hope’s offense was stifled in a 1-0 loss to DeSoto Central on March 3 in a game where each team could only produce two hits. Kennedi Martin and Kaselyn Harcrow each put one ball in play for the Trojans (6-5), who left five runners on base.
New Hope’s baseball team returned the diamond yesterday against Portland (Tenn.) in the Gulf Coast Classic I Baseball Tournament while the Trojans’ softball team took on Friendship Christian.
Caledonia
The Cavs’ softball team added its ninth straight victory to its early season total on Thursday with a 7-5 victory at Hatley to give the team an undefeated start to the year.
After scoring one run in each of the first two innings and three more in the fourth, Hatley tied the game with five runs in the fourth, but the Cavs, who tallied nine hits, tacked on two more in the fifth to pull ahead for good.
In baseball, Caledonia stumbled to an 8-3 loss to Starkville to fall to 7-6 on the season.
The Yellow Jackets scored three runs in the third inning, four in the fifth and one more in the sixth while the Cavs (6-5) only plated one run in each of the third, fourth and seventh innings. Caledonia was held to only three hits while Starkville piled on eight with six RBI.
In softball, the Cavs put their hot start on the line yesterday at Tuscaloosa County while their baseball squad takes on Christian Brothers at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
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