It’s been a tough start to the 2026 baseball season for the Kirk Academy Raiders.
Second-year head coach Zach Whitfield’s team was hit hard by graduation from a team that lost in the opening round of the postseason in 2025. He has turned to one of the youngest rosters in the history of the program.
Heading into Week 3 of the regular season, Kirk is 0-7 on the season. The Raiders’ closest loss was a 4-3 setback to Manchester Academy last Tuesday in Grenada. Other than that one-run loss, Kirk has dropped six games by an average of just under 13 runs a game. Still, Whitfield knows the process of playing a lineup mainly made up of sophomores or younger.
“It’s been a growing process,” Whitfield said. “We knew going into the season the inexperience of our team. It’s not like we don’t have any talent - our players haven’t played many innings at this level of competition. The guys have worked hard and I see some slow improvement. It’s going to take time.”
Manchester
After losing 13-3 to the Mavericks in Yazoo City on Feb. 17, the Raiders pushed the Feb. 24 game in Grenada to the final at-bat before coming up short.
“We did some good things throughout a big portion of the game,” Whitfield said. “Learning to win is part of the process we are going through.”
Both teams finished the game with seven hits apiece. Kirk struggled with eight errors and left 13 runners on base.
Sophomore Rhett Blaylock gave his team a chance with his pitching effort, along with his offensive play. He pitched 6 innings (7 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned runs, walk, 2 strikeouts). At the plate, he was 2-for-3.
Manchester led 2-0 until the fifth inning, when the Raiders struck for a run. The teams both scored two runs in the seventh inning to account for the final margin.
Sophomore Tate Summers finished 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. Eighth-grader Charlie Bailey was 1-for-4 (triple, run, RBI). Freshman Logan Carson was 1-for-4 and sophomore K.D. Costilow finished 1-for-3. Sophomore Jack Redwine and eighth-grader Charlie Martinez scored one run each.
The Mavericks and Raiders opened the season on Feb. 17, with KA pitchers allowing 10 runs in the first two innings to lose a 13-3 game. Sophomore Kade Tipton led the Raiders’ offense going 2-for-3 (2 RBI). Freshman Colton Timbs, Charlie Bailey and Tate Summers each chipped with singles.
Tunica Academy
Last Friday, Kirk hosted Tunica, dropping a 17-2 decision at Raider Field. The Blue Devils outhit the Raiders 12-5, highlighted by an eight-run third inning.
Sophomore Maverick Fowler led the hitting with a double (run). Charlie Bailey (run), eighth-grader Riley Beckham, Kade Tipton and Logan Carson each chipped in with a single.
Sophomore Jack Redwine went one inning (9 hits, 8 runs, 7 earned runs, walk) and Tate Summers pitched 1.2 innings (2 hits, 7 runs, 5 earned runs, 4 walks, strikeout). Sophomore Jake Wallace went the final 1.1 innings (hit, 2 runs, earned run, walk, strikeout).
Winona Christian
On Feb. 23, the Raiders had a 10-2 lead after three innings only to see the Stars 18 unanswered runs for a 20-10 victory.
Six errors and nine walks enabled the Stars to rally for the win.
Kirk was outhit 11-7 by Winona Christian. Tate Summers led the offense going 3-for-4 (double, 2 runs, 4 RBI), while Jack Redwine was 2-for-3 (3 RBI, 2 runs). Maverick Fowler finished 1-for-2 (3 runs) and Jake Wallace was 1-for-3 (2 RBI). Kade Tipton, Rhett Blaylock and Logan Carson each scored a run.
Jack Redwine, the first of four pitchers picked up the loss. He went 4.0 innings (9 hits, 10 runs, 7 earned runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts).
Indianola Academy
Lack of defense was the problem as the Raiders had 11 errors in a 14-4 road loss to the Indianola Academy Colonels on Feb. 20.
Kirk finished with 5 hits and scored its runs in the second inning. Tate Summers led the Raiders with a double. Kade Tipton (run), Rhett Blaylock (RBI), Jack Redwine and Charlie Bailey (run) each finished with a single. Jake Wallace and Maverick Fowler scored a run apiece.
Kade Tipton (.2 innings, hit, 5 runs, 1 earned run, 2 walks, strikeout) was the losing pitcher. He got relief help from Rhett Blaylock (3 innings, 7 hits, 9 runs 3 earned runs, 3 walks, strikeout) and eighth-grader Charlie Martinez (.1 inning).
Bayou Academy
The first game between the Raiders and Colts took place on Feb. 19 with Bayou winning a 20-0 game at Raider Field.
Game 2 between the two teams took place on Feb. 26 with Colts winning a 16-4 four-inning contest. The game featured Bayou pitchers not allowing a hit for the second time this season.
Kirk traveled to Columbus Tuesday facing Heritage Academy. Results were not available as of press time. The Raiders host Carroll Academy with junior varsity action, beginning at 4 p.m. Friday.
