Allen provides versatile player for the Volunteers
Colby Allen has proven to be a very versatile baseball player for the Starkville Academy Volunteers.
That was on display once again during last week’s series sweep against Leake Academy.
In a 9-7 victory in the first game over the Rebels one week ago, Allen had a pair of hits for the Vols and earned a save as a pitcher. He came back in game two the same day and contributed to a 2111 win with two hits in four trips to the plate, including a home run, drove in three runs and scored twice.
Allen finished up the 7-2 win over Leake Academy on the road Friday with a scoreless inning of work on the mound and had one strikeout.
He was able to do all of that while fulfilling his responsibility as the main catcher for Starkville Academy.
For last week’s performance and what he has meant to the Vols to this point of the season, Allen was chosen the OCH Regional Medical Center Athlete of the Week.
“Colby is a big-time leader on and off the field for us and very versatile,” Starkville Academy head baseball coach Thomas Berkery said. “As much as anything, he grinds and gets after it and the guys kind of follow his lead. He’s had a really good season to this point and has done a good job of handling the pitching staff. That’s about all we’ve needed for him to be the main catcher and be productive at the plate. I can commend him for those efforts for sure.”
Allen has three home runs and leads the Vols with 23 runs batted in. He has thrown out four baserunners from his catcher position.
In 10 innings pitched, he has 17 strikeouts and two saves.
“We are going to put the ball in his hands in the clutch moments,” Berkery said. “We go with him and if we win, or if we don’t, we still feel like we did the right thing.”
Starkville Academy enjoyed a good start to this week by beating Winston Academy twice in a doubleheader Monday in Louisville.
The Vols (16-4, 8-0) look for their third-straight sweep in Class 4A, Division 2 play on Thursday when they host Winston Academy in the third game.