As soon as the Caledonia High School softball team finished disposing of Yazoo City in the opening round of the MHSAA Class 4A Tournament, the Cavaliers knew it wasn’t going to be nearly as easy the next time.
They also knew who they would have to beat to make it happen.
Region 2 champion Pontotoc was in past years a region rival of the Cavaliers, and it will be the Warriors standing in their way this weekend.
“Pontotoc has always been a tough opponent for us and vice versa,” Caledonia coach Andy Finch said. “They are an old division rival. This is the first year they aren’t in our division.”
The teams bring similar records to the series, with Pontotoc finishing the regular season 19-6-1 and Caledonia sitting at 19-7 after their sweep of Yazoo City.
Finch said the Warriors will present problems right from the start with a lineup headed by senior Allie Beckley leading off and junior Joryie McKnight in the No. 2 hole.
“They have two really fast players batting first and second for them,” Finch said. “They are tough outs.”
Finch also has been impressed by sophomore pitcher Averi Bridgman.
“Their pitcher really depends on her rise ball and screwball,” he said. “She wants batters to chase pitches up. We have to lay off chasing pitches out of the zone.
“This year we have done a good job of being selective on the pitches and swinging at good pitches.”
Caledonia counters with a very experienced group, with Finch saying that some of his seniors have been playing since they were 6, giving them 12 years of softball experience.
“We have experienced players all over the field,” the coach said. “When our girls help each other out, they are a really good team and a tough team.”
Game 1 is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at Pontotoc, with Game 2 at 6 p.m. Saturday at Caledonia. If a third game is necessary, it will be on Monday at Pontotoc.
Class 5A: New Hope vs. Lafayette
Friday, 6 p.m. at Lafayette
Saturday, 1 p.m. at New Hope
Monday, 6 p.m. at Lafayette, if necessary
The Trojans (16-12-1) made quick work of Canton on Friday night in the opening round, scoring 43 runs in two victories. Things figure to be a bit trickier this time around, with Region 2 champion Lafayette waiting for them.
“They will be well coached,” New Hope coach Casey Finch-Halford said . “They always are.”
But the Commodores have hardly been dominant, bringing an 11-9-1 record into the tournament. And in their past two wins, against Pontotoc and Cleveland Central, they have surrendered a combined 19 runs. The Trojans have won four straight since dropping two to region rival Saltillo, and they have scored in double digits in all four games.
But Finch-Halford is assuming nothing.
“They will have a lot of athletes,” she said of the Commodores. “That area always does.”
Baseball
Class 6A: Starkville vs. Madison Central
Friday, 7 p.m. at Madison Central
Saturday, 7 p.m. at Starkville
Monday, 7 p.m. at Madison Central, if necessary
This should have a familiar feel to it. These teams met in the same round last year, with the Jaguars winning two of three on their way to the Class 6A state championship. The Yellow Jackets forced Game 3 with a 3-2 home win in Game 2, but they were pounded 19-1 the next day.
This year, the Jaguars (18-7) dominated Region 4, going 8-1 to finish three games ahead of Germantown and Clinton. They had a nine-game winning streak snapped on April 21 against Brandon (22-6).
They are ranked No. 3 in Class 6A and No. 8 in the state by MaxPreps.com. Three of their losses are to out-of-state teams, and another came to Northwest Rankin (26-2), which is not only MaxPreps’ No. 1 team in Mississippi and ranked in the national Top 20, but the team Madison Central swept to win the 2021 title. They have been tested often.
The Yellow Jackets advanced with a
Class 5A: Cleveland Central vs. New Hope
Friday, 6 p.m. at New Hope
Saturday 2 p.m. at Cleveland Central
Monday, 6 p.m. at New Hope, if necessary
On paper, this should be no contest. New Hope is among the top teams in Mississippi; Cleveland Central is 10-16 and was on a seven-game losing streak before pounding overmatched Jim Hill 19-0 and 20-1 in the first round.
The contrast between the teams can be seen in the results of their final region series: While the Trojans were taking two of three from a strong Saltillo team to clinch the Region 1 title, the Wolves were getting smoked 16-1, 14-1 and 11-0 by Lafayette. They finished third in Region 2 behind Lafayette and Lake Cormorant, and they allowed 10 runs or more eight times.
Meanwhile, the Trojans are 24-4 and won 18 consecutive games earlier this season.
New Hope coach Lee Boyd said he will send senior Brant Smith, who pitched a four-hit shutout against Saltillo to clinch the region title, to the mound in Game 1 on Friday night. Boyd said he is not definite on a Game 2 starter, but he likely will hand the ball to junior Hayden Dodson.
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