Lady Vols win final home outing
Calliope Koiva didn’t let giving up a first inning run keep her from losing focus on Thursday night.
The Starkville Academy eighth grade pitcher gave up the only two hits Hebron
Christian had in the first, ended up going the distance and struck out 13 as the Lady Volunteers defeated the Lady Eagles 9-4 in the final home game of the season.
It may not have been the cleanest effort from Koiva, but Starkville Academy head softball coach Lee Berryhill said the young hurler worked through struggles well.
“She’s an eighth grader and you put a season on an eighth grader that hadn’t had any quality pitching here in the past,” Berryhill said. “She’s got to be mentally tough and she’s got to learn the whole aspect of everything. She’s done a great job for us this year and I expect good things from her moving on.”
Even though Koiva gave up one run on two hits in the first inning, she also struck out the side to get out of the jam.
The Lady Vols answered offensively in the bottom of the first. Caralyne Montgomery singled, stole second base, stole third base and came home on a sacrifice fly by Browning Hughes.
In the fourth inning, Starkville Academy scored three times on four hits to take the lead. Arlee Oswalt single and scored on a passed ball, while Fallon Parker singled and came home on a single by Allie Grace Williams. Addie Prather drove home Williams with a single.
Hebron was able to take advantage of miscues from the Lady Vol defense in the
Zalatoris made a hole-inone on No. 7, and Zalatoris somehow missed another ace on No. 13. Spanish amateur Eduard Rousand holed out for eagle from the first fairway with his second shot in his U.S. Open debut. Louis Oosthuizen holed out for eagle on second fairway.
“Yeah, 65 is fun no matter where you play, especially at Winged Foot,” Thomas said. “I was in a really good frame of mind, and I was focused. I just was sticking to my routine and playing every shot, as opposed to getting ahead of myself. It’s one of those rounds where ... next thing you know, you make the putt on 18, you’re done for the day.”
He played with
Tiger
Woods and PGA champion Collin Morikawa, who couldn’t get done fast enough.
Woods was in five bunkers through five holes and then appeared to steady himself with three straight birdies around the turn to get under par, but only briefly. He made three bogeys coming in, still had a chance to post a reasonable score and then let it get away.
From short of the steep shelf fronting the 18th green, he flubbed a flop shot, pitched the next one about 8 feet beyond the pin and missed the putt to take double bogey for a73.
“I did not finish off the round like I needed to,” Woods said, an expression he uttered five more times out of the six questions he faced after his round