Coaches routinely try to remind their players in the playoffs not to look too far ahead and focus on the task directly in front of them.

But, when the final score ends up 17-2, there comes a point in a game when it's time to start thinking about tomorrow.

Battlefield softball manager Joe Schelzo opted to pull starting pitcher Brittany Black (3 IP, 6K, 0H, 0R) from the field Monday night in Haymarket against Culpeper with the senior ace working on a perfect game an her own team winning via slaughter rule at 12-0.

In fact, all nine Culpeper outs of the game to that point involved Black as she complimented her six strike outs by catching two balls and fielding a grounder for three more outs.

"Yeah, well we have very talented sophomore pitchers behind her," said Schelzo.

Black even managed to get the team over the 10-run hump in the bottom of the third by clobbering a 2-0 for a 3-RBI triple that put Battlefield up 12-0.

Schelzo explained though that he wanted to give Black some time off before a 5 o'clock start at the neutral site of Stonewall Jackson. That also allowed up-and-coming pitchers Kelsey Cockrill and Miranda Kemp to benefit from having playoff experience at the varsity level.

That worked out for the Culpeper sluggers as well as the Blue Devils scored their only runs on an inside-the-park homer in the top of the fourth inning by catcher Miranda Phipps that also drove in first baseman Jessica Bailey.

"Well, we were kind of nervous at first but after we got here we calmed down a little bit and we just worked hard and tried to pull it off," said Phipps.

The Battlefield line-up hit its stride early in the first inning against Culpeper starter Lauren Mills with three runs scored, but blew up in the third with a 10-run inning.

"I think the fact that we jumped on them after such a wary weekend on us was really important because we came out and jumped on Loudoun Valley; we had to keep carrying that same mentality and we succeeded in doing that. I think that's key because that'll last the whole tournament now," said catcher Courtney Liddle, who knocked in the first run of the game with an RBI triple to left field and later followed up with an inside-the-park home run.

Kemp closed out the game for Battlefield in the top of the fifth inning by striking out the side.

"[She] and Kelsey are both very talented pitchers, so that gives us something to look forward to," said Schelzo.

Naturally, different emotions prevailed amongst the players after the game as Culpeper's season officially came to a close and Battlefield's was really just getting started.

Phipps recommended the 2009-10 Blue Devils "just play hard because sometimes we give up instead of playing hard all the way through."

Liddle, on the other hand, showed all the confidence of a senior out to return to the state championship for the second time in two years, with the simple goal of capturing the ever-elusive Group AAA crown.

"We can be the best on paper, but if we don't have that attitude where we want to go out there and prove ourselves every game, like we have the past three years... That's what made us so good," said the team captain. "We wanted to go out there and win. So, if we keep that, I don't think anyone's going to stop us."

One down, eight to go.