CALEDONIA — Caledonia High School softball coach Andy Finch spent several minutes talking with his softball team after their 8-1 loss to Pontotoc on Saturday night.
In a game that didn’t really go their way from the start, the Cavaliers battled back to no avail throughout seven innings, trying to sweep their two-game MHSAA Class 4A playoff series. The message in defeat, however, was the same as it’s been in victory time and again.
“The message was to regroup, and we’ve talked all year about having short-term memory,” Finch said. “After a loss, learn from it. After a win, learn from it. Just regroup, and know that Monday is a whole new game. We believe we’re the better team; we just gotta regroup.”
The Cavaliers have come a long way this season, further than anyone on the team has gone before. After winning their opening series in dominant fashion against Yazoo City, they won a tight Game 1 on Friday in Pontotoc by a score of 5-4 before returning home for Game 2.
Though they failed to carry the momentum into Saturday’s game on the field, they continue to receive incredible support from the community while creating a powerful atmosphere in the dugout.
“We got a lot of encouragement from the fans and the dugout,” Finch said. “They’ve stepped up to help to fight in these playoffs. And every playoff game is a fight, every inning is a fight, every at-bat is a fight, and you can’t do it alone.
“Just the nine starters can’t do it alone, you gotta have fight from the dugout and help from the crowd, and they answered the call tonight and Friday night. Momentum is a big thing in this game.”
The momentum on the field Saturday swung in favor of the Warriors during the top of the second inning, as Pontotoc picked up five runs. Senior Ashlyn Jordan took over in the circle and helped steady things as the Cavaliers tried to mount a comeback attempt, and they finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth.
Late runs for the Warriors in the seventh helped put the game out of reach.
The short-term memory will be important as the Cavaliers prepare for Game 3.
“You can ride a wave of momentum for a while, but eventually that’s gonna run out and you gotta find ways to battle back,” Finch said. “And the girls did battle back, they just came up short tonight.”
The deciding Game 3 is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday in Pontotoc.
