This weekend’s high school baseball slate was far from short on drama.
On a rain soaked and tornado-threatened Friday, Caledonia was forced to begin its postseason run Saturday against Corinth.
The Confederates found themselves trailing 9-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning before plating seven runs in the frame to tie the ballgame.
In extras, Caledonia earned a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the ninth.
Sophomore Gavin Holloman was then hit by a pitch on the ensuing at-bat to score senior Cade Stacy from third, giving the Confederates a 10-9 win.
On the bump, junior Westlee Honeycutt earned the win. Honeycutt gave up just three hits and struck out four in 5.1 innings of relief.
Game two will be played at 7 p.m. Monday at Corinth. Caledonia would advance with a victory.
Below Caledonia on the bracket, New Hope dominated Gentry in a Saturday doubleheader.
The Trojans provided an offensive onslaught to the tune of 17-0 and 25-0 wins over the Rams, punching their ticket to the next round.
New Hope will await the winner of the Caledonia-Corinth series. The round of 16 matchup is slated to begin Thursday night.
At the 6A level, Starkville fell 1-0 to Hernando in game one.
The Yellow Jackets weren’t short on chances having stranded runners at second in the four of seven innings though they failed to convert.
Junior Jack Perry was stellar on the mound during his six innings of work.
Perry gave up just one unearned run on three hits while striking out nine in just 82 pitches on the day.
Game two will be played at 6 p.m. Monday at Starkville. Sophomore Riley Dawkins is the scheduled starter for the Yellow Jackets.
Rounding out the local playoff action was West Lowndes. The Panthers were eliminated Saturday following a 7-0 loss to Ethel.
SOFTBALL: Starkville and New Hope opened their postseasons in 6A and 4A, respectively.
Starkville fell 15-1 in its opener against Hernando.
Kyler Reeves was handed the loss after giving up 15 runs on 13 hits in 4.2 innings pitched.
Despite the statline, Starkville head coach Ronald Campbell said Reeves pitched well and that the team’s five errors played a key in the rout.
“I was impressed by our pitching,” Campbell said. “She threw strikes, made them put the ball in play. They didn’t just hit it all over the field. If we make routine plays, it’s a different outcome.”
The Yellow Jackets and Tigers will meet again Monday at 2 p.m. with game three to follow if necessary.
New Hope took down Pontotoc 11-9 Saturday on the road.
Katelyn Humphreys led the offensive charge with a three-run home run — her first of the year — while Charly Clanton, Gabbi Manning and Madison McBrayer all notched two RBIs.
The series is a chance at revenge for New Hope as Pontotoc eliminated the Trojans in three games in the round of 16 last season.
The teams will renew their series Monday at 4:30 p.m. Game three will follow at 7 p.m. if necessary.
No. 1 seed Caledonia did not play this weekend as it awaits the winner of the Corinth-Clarksdale series.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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