Despite jumping out to a 3-0 lead, Starkville Little League dropped a 6-4 decision to North Boulder Little League (Boulder, Colorado) in the opening game of the Little League Baseball Southwest Region Tournament on Thursday in Waco, Texas.
Starkville loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first on consecutive singles by Thomas Graves, BJ Hendrix and Taj Prater. Graves scored and the other runners moved up on a wild pitch, then Hendrix and Prater each scored on an error to give Starkville a 3-0 lead.
But North Boulder scored three times in the third and three times in the fourth, including three unearned runs off starting pitcher Will Akers. Starkville added a run in the top of the fifth when Graves walked and scored on a double-play grounder.
Starkville will look to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament at 4 p.m. today against New Mexico’s Sunset Little League, a 7-6 loser to Tulsa National Little League in Thursday’s opening game.
Softball
Starkville Academy 15, Kemper Academy 4
Calliope Koiva went 3 for 5 with four RBIs, Caralyne Montgomery scored four runs and Arden Parker went 3 for 4, scoring twice and driving in a run as the Volunteers rolled in DeKalb.
RBI singles by Koiva, Montgomery and Ali Grace Williams highlighted a seven-run fifth inning that blew the game open for the Volunteers. Koiva tossed a six-inning one-hitter to earn the win, striking out eight and allowing one earned run.
The Volunteers (4-0) will travel Monday to Greenwood to face Pillow Academy.
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 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.