Starkville Academy showcased some grit and comeback savvy as it climbed out of an early 2-0 deficit against Calhoun Academy Tuesday to best the Cougars, 5-2, for the team’s second win of the early season.

The Cougars, who outhit SA 6-4, leaped on the Volunteers right out of the gate, utilizing a Starkville fielding error, a single and a sacrifice fly to tack on two runs in the first inning to put the Vols in an early bind. But, Molly Ingram and Elin Jewell teamed up to generate a scoring response. Ingram was hit by a pitch and was replaced by Jewell as a courtesy runner at first base. The seventh grader stole second base, third base and scampered home during an error by Calhoun catcher Emerie Baecher for the Vols’ first score.

For the next two innings, Starkville Academy struggled to respond on offense against Cougar pitcher Kenna Eaton, who was in the midst of a seven-strikeout performance. Any ball the Vols were able to get a barrel on almost always resulted in a fly out or ground out, but the game remained close as Ingram did her part to keep Calhoun at bay from the circle.

That all changed in the bottom of the fourth inning when Starkville managed to take the lead for good. With only one out remaining, Azleigh Slivka was walked and Presley Sowell, who was replaced by Carson Peacock as a base runner, singled right behind her to get on base. Emmi Miller followed up with a single of her own to load the bases. Piper Graves stepped up to the plate and hammered a line drive that brought home Peacock and Slivka for the 3-2 lead.

In the fifth inning, SA added to its lead when a single from Sowell brought home Ella Kate Heflin and Lauren Adkerson.

Sowell led the team with two hits and an RBI while Graves finished with two hits and two RBI. Ingram pitched all seven innings in the circle. She gave up six hits with six strikeouts and walked only one Cougar, but did hit two Calhoun batters. Jewell led the team with three stolen bases.

The Volunteers go for back-to-back wins tonight when they host Hebron Christian at 6:30 p.m.

Volleyball

Caledonia increased its season record to 5-1-1 by taking down host Starkville on Tuesday.

The Cavaliers took the match 3-1 as it claimed matching 25-17 wins in the first two sets before the Yellow Jackets (2-3) got on the board with a 25-23 third-set win. Starkville made a run of it in the fourth set, but the Cavs squeaked out a 28-26 win to claim the match victory. Head coach Samantha Brooks said their early practices that focused on mental toughness are already showing their dividends and that her team is off to a terrific start to the season.

“First of all, we have a lot of talent,” Brooks said. “In just about every position we’re talented. Our chemistry is good, the girls seem to get along off the court as well as on the court and they play well together. They’re really good about when we make a mistake, instead of looking to me to fix it they work together to figure out a solution. Volleyball is pretty fast-paced; we don’t have a whole lot of time to try to figure it out. You only get two timeouts, and they’re really good about that.”

Up next for the Cavs is a 6 p.m. match today at Ripley, a team that Brooks said is solid, but her Cavs are in a groove. She believes the season is looking to be a good one.

“I feel like we are on the road to success,” she said. “I feel like (with how well her team has been playing to open the season), I feel good about the season. I feel good about tomorrow night.”

The Yellow Jackets also see action today when they play at Northwest Rankin at 6 p.m. looking for their third win of the year.

New Hope’s season-starting slide continued Tuesday at Tupelo as the Trojans fell 3-0 to the Golden Wave.

Tupelo took the first set 25-13, the second set 25-10 and the third set 25-15.

The Trojans (0-5) look for their first win of the early season today at Amory when the two teams get into action at 6:30 p.m.