Though it's a win, the Lady Swampcats' victory in Game 1 of the South Carolina Independent School Association AAA State Championship Series on Monday night against longtime rival Wilson Hall "doesn't mean anything in the long run," according to Coach Maria Rowland.
"I can go down the line of different times when someone else has won, and when we have, and then we didn't win Game 2," said Rowland. "Right now, our focus just has to be on Game 2 on Tuesday. We have to come out ready to hit every single inning."
Rowland said though her players defeated Wilson Hall 2-0 on Monday night, they can do better.
"We scored in the first inning, and that was it," she said. "We have to be ready to score every single inning. That's how we're going to win State again."
The Lady Swampcats hope to defend the title previously won in 2016, and Rowland said the preparation has been "the same as it is every year."
"You try to go out every day and prepare mentally and physically in practice," she said. "After that, the only thing you can do is hope that at the end, when it matters, everyone is playing their best ball. That's all you can do."
Rowland said that pitcher Liz Hussey had a no-hitter on the mound.
"Wilson Hall never had a hit," she said. "And Brooke Ward came up with a two RBI double in that first inning with no outs. That was huge right out the gate."
She said the girls are feeling the pressure of defending a state title, but she's trying to keep them grounded.
"You do that just by talking about it, and trying to make it like any other game," she said. "You make it known what the goal is. You make it known that we're not going to give in. When the adversity sets in, we're going to give it everything we've got."
Rowland said her philosophy in playing is a lot like life itself.
"You have to go after something if you want it," she said. "You have to be brave. You can't be afraid. You don't pray for the opponent to be weak, but pray for the strength to overcome your opponent."
She said her biggest challenge is keeping the team's mind off the fact that their opponent in the State Championship series is the school's main rival.
"It's just another opponent," she said. "I don't want them to look at them as a rival, but as an opponent. And if we want to win, we have to beat them. It's not about a rival. It's about a game that we need to win. No matter what, whoever is the best is going to be there at the end. It doesn't matter who that opponent is, or what the front of their jersey says. You want to be the best and you have to be the best."
The Lady Swampcats played Tuesday after press time. Check manninglive.com for updates.
Photos provided by Larry Hewitt of Silver Images Studio
