TSSAA Spring Fling 2019: How Columbia Academy won first softball title with just one senior

MURFREESBORO — Brittany Adair held the Class A softball championship trophy Friday afternoon while she answered questions from a reporter.

Nothing was going to let it out of the Columbia Academy senior's grip, even if it grew heavy as the moments went by under the hot sun at Starplex.

"I knew we could do great things this year as a team," said Adair following the Lady Bulldogs' 3-0 win over Summertown in the championship. "It just feels even better to play this last game with them and to bring a state championship trophy as a team."

It marked Columbia Academy's first softball state championship on their final day as a Division I program. Next year, the school will compete in Division II and will be permitted to offer need-based financial assistance.

Columbia Academy (34-6) rolled through the tournament, going 4-0 behind the strong arm of Adair and a lineup of underclassmen.

Adair was the lone senior on the roster, and the Lady Bulldogs started three eighth-graders — Sophia Warren, Kennedy Chatman and Caroline Perry.

Adair, a North Alabama signee, struck out six and walked one in the championship. She finished the tournament with 44 strikeouts, walked six and gave up two earned runs in 28 innings.

"Even though we only had one senior and started three eighth-graders, all of them had played a lot of ball," Columbia Academy coach Seth Anderson said. "Those young ones are a lot more mature than eighth-graders or freshmen.

"Then when you have a pitcher like Brittany, that makes things a little easier. She can pound the zone and overpower a lot of hitters."

Freshman Karli Quillin and sophomore Karley Harakas and eighth-grader Chloe Carter each had two hits for Columbia Academy, which hadn't been in the state tournament since 2014.

Columbia Academy scored two unearned runs off Summertown's Elizabeth Woods in the second inning. Harakas doubled in Carter in the top of the seventh for an insurance run.

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Reach Tom Kreager at 615-259-8089 or tkreager@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Kreager.