Brookland–Cayce clean–up hitter Alex White jumps onto the plate to complete her home run trot Monday, April 26 at the Memorial Stadium athletic complex. White led off the second with the home run to right center, giving the Bearcats a 1–0 lead. The day after Brookland– Cayce lost to White Knoll a week ago, the captains called a team meeting.

What was supposed to be a tuneup week in advance of a run at the Class 3A state championship instead produced the Bearcats’ first losing streak and a worrisome four hits in 14 innings.

“We sat down and talked for a long time,” shortstop Alex White said. “We talked about what we were doing well, what we needed to work on, and that we had each other’s backs. … As long as we’re happy and playing together, we’re going to perform.”

The Bearcats lived up to that expectation on Monday at the Memorial Stadium athletic complex. White homered, and the Bearcats drilled three extra base hits to the fence in a 3–1 victory against Airport in a playoff game to determine which team earned the top seed from Region 5-3A. Airport (17–4) forced the playoff by beating Brookland– Cayce (24–3) 1–0 last week. Sophomore pitcher Chandler Terrapin held the Eagles to three hits.

Brookland–Cayce pitcher Chandler Terrapin delivers a pitch during the third inning on Monday, April 26 at the Memorial Stadium athletic complex. Terrapin (17–3) scattered three hits and five walks during the 3–1 victory against Airport in the playoff game to determine the Region 5–3A first–place team. With the victory, Brookland–Cayce drew the top seed in District V, which also contains Crestwood, Camden, and Midland Valley. The Bearcats drew Crestwood as their first opponent in the double– elimination event scheduled for (April 29th), Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday. Airport drew the second seed in District IV and drew a first–round game against Marlboro. Top–seeded Darlington and Swansea complete that region, which plays the same days.

Airport center fielder Lauren Radford records an out during the fourth inning. The two teams could meet for a fourth time in the Lower State bracket, and the playoff game gave both teams reasons for optimism.

“We are starting to get our hitting back and getting our momentum back,” White said.

While coach Richard Lundy was pleased to see better contact throughout the order, he took note of the eight left on base and that three of the five runners in scoring position with less than two outs failed to score.

“We have to get them around,” Lundy said. “We have to work on teammates giving themselves up to get runners around and in, because, against top pitchers, that one run could be the difference.”

Airport right fielder Kelly Farmer takes a pitch during the third inning on Monday, April 26. So it’s not hard to figure out that Brookland– Cayce is spending the time leading up to the playoffs the same way it ended the regular season.

“We were working on hitting, not being so anxious at the plate,” said designated hitter Ashlyn Hicks, who went 2–for–4 including a triple to right center to lead off the sixth. “We have to be more patient at the plate.”

Airport coach Jessica Burke offered the same lament about her team’s offense. But she saw a silver lining thanks to a seventh– inning rally that put the tying run at second before dying.

“In the past, they would have scored that run, and we would have fallen apart,” Burke said. “Now, not only did we not fall apart, we kept battling, and, in the seventh, we still had a chance to win. They can take that they never gave up and kept fighting.”