One of sports more important relationships is between a catcher and a pitcher.
For Starkville Academy, that relationship worked exceedingly well last week.
Pitcher Drew Pellum fired a one-hitter and hit a home run, while junior catcher Colby Runnels threw out two attempted base-stealers as Starkville Academy blanked rival Heritage Academy 3-0 to reach the state championship round of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AAA, Division II playoffs.
For helping the Volunteers to the state championship round, Pellum and Runnels have been named The Dispatch’s Prep Players of the Week.
“This is a chance of a lifetime moment,” Pellum said. “I am really proud of the guys that we are having a chance to play for the state championship.”
Playing the quarterback position this past fall, Pellum also led the Starkville Academy football team to the state championship game.
With Pellum sidelined by injury, the Volunteers dropped a 20-0 decision to Greenville Washington.
“This is a second opportunity for me, so I plan on making the most of it,” Pellum said. “It is frustrating when you can’t be out there helping your teammates out. I really look forward to this next opportunity.”
Despite Pellum and Runnels both being juniors, Starkville Academy coach Neal Henry feels quite confident when the game is in their hands.
“The catching position is a lot like an umpire,” Henry said. “You really don’t notice them until they are not doing their job.
“With Colby, he gets overlooked because he is a great defensive catcher. He blocks up all the balls and does a great job of controlling the running game, too.”
Runnels threw out three total base-stealers in the two-game series against Heritage Academy. He also blocked the plate, applied the tag and a got a critical out call with his team leading by one run during Tuesday night’s 11-10 win in the series opener.
“I try to help my team any way that I can,” Runnels said. “I think you have to take pride in defense because it is such an important part of the game. With our pitching and our defense, we always feel like one good inning (offensively) can put us in control of a game.”
Pellum was in complete control Thursday night. The right-hander struck out 10 and only faced five batters past the minimum.
Offensively, Pellum’s solo home run to left-center broke a scoreless tie in the third inning.
“Drew is a team leader,” Henry said. “He works real hard and he is a student of the game.
“He set the tone for us early in that game. First, he pitches an outstanding game. Then, he helps his team out offensively and has the kind of hit that energizes the entire team.”
Starkville Academy (23-9) now readies to face Magnolia Heights Academy (31-5-1) for the state championship.
The best-of-three series begins with a 6 p.m. game today in Senatobia and finishes with either one or two games in Starkville, beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday.
“We are excited about a chance to play for the state championship,” Runnels said. “This team has not been in the playoffs since 2006, so everybody was excited when we got in.
“However, the team was not satisfied with just getting in. We wanted to get in and win a state championship.”
While Runnels and Pellum had a symmetry on the baseball diamond, the duo will also need to work well this fall on the football field.
Runnels was a running back on last year’s squad and will be asked to carry more of the lead next year, with the graduation of 1,000-yard rusher Ryan Mann.
Henry feels the success of the football program helped fuel the baseball team’s run to the championship round.
“The attitude started back in the fall,” Henry said. “You could tell this group was going to be special. The hard work they put in on the football field carried over to baseball.
“Between 90 and 95 percent of these guys play both. I think they feel like they have some unfinished business since they came up short in that state championship game.
“There is no question, that this team is still hungry,” Runnels said. “We look forward to the chance to play for another championship.”
For Pellum, the opportunity is sweet as well.
“We have worked real hard to get to this point,” Pellum said. “Everybody believes in one another. We feel like we can play with anybody.”
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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