Resurrection Catholic has ‘unfinished business’ on the baseball diamond in 2022
The taste of defeat still lingers over the ballpark on the east side of Pascagoula.
Resurrection Catholic hasn’t forgotten the way the 2021 season ended in the 1A state title series but they won’t let it define the team, either.
The Eagles had an 8-1 record in the playoffs before running into Tupelo Christian in the finals and failing to win a game in the last series.
Though the memories remain, an experienced roster has turned pain into excitement.
“We’ve had some unfinished business but we are looking at it as a fresh start because last year was last year,” pitching coach Jon Reynolds told the Sun Herald. “We only lost one player, our second basemen, everybody else came back.”
Last season’s team finished with an impressive 27-7 record and began the 2022 season with nine straight wins. The amount of talent carrying over is showing up in big moments.
The Eagles have taken down much bigger schools in Harrison Central and Petal while also pulling off three walk-off wins.
“I think we’re motivated this year after what happened last year,” senior JT Schnoor said. “It still hurts and we don’t want to feel that way again.”
Resurrection is currently 9-3 after a string of losses but is still undefeated against in-state teams.
It’s also 4-2 in one-run games, including three straight such wins against Harrison Central, St. Stanislaus and West Florida.
The Eagles faced an 11-3 deficit at one point in that St. Stanislaus game only to win the contest, 13-12. It was a comeback victory that paints a picture of maturity, resilience and leadership on the team.
“The maturity level, especially with our captains in JT Schnoor, Joe Scarborough and Max Askew, I can’t say enough about how in practice they’re holding the other players accountable,” Reynolds said.
Staying consistent and continuing to push when faced with adversity has been the Eagles’ calling card.
“We’re very persistent on the mound, in the box, everywhere,” Scarborough said. “Everybody plays as hard as they can and they never give up ... we just string hits together and win games.”
The trio of captains form a strong force up front as both the team’s leading pitchers and run producers. The three have nearly 40 RBIs between them in 12 games.
They are the driving force for an Eagles team that has one goal in mind and that’s a return to the final series of the statewide baseball season. Though, again, they won’t let the pressures of losing define who they are.
“Even though we have some unfinished business and that’s kind of our motto, we’re not dwelling on the fact that we’re going to be a failure if we don’t get back,” Reynolds said. “We’re counting on getting back but we have to start anew.”
