Columbia State Hosts Region VII Baseball and Softball Tournament
"We're excited about the event," said Johnny Littrell, Columbia State head softball coach and interim athletic director. "We have been working in preparation for this tournament since November, and all of our hard work will come together with the play-in games on May 8."
On the softball field, the Lady Chargers (41-10, 30-6) enter the tournament after an impressive season that has included a 28-game winning streak and career-victory 500 for Littrell.
"This is one of the best teams we've fielded since I've been here. This is a well-rounded squad, we have the best pitcher in the state, and our girls just don't quit," Littrell said. "It's hard enough to sweep a four-game series, much less 28 in a row. If they are down a run, if they have an injury, they just keep fighting."
The Lady Chargers, which finished second in the Region VII tournament four of the last six years, wrapped up their regular season when they hosted Chattanooga State Community College in four games last week, splitting the doubleheader.
Columbia State baseball (28-18, 15-10) currently sits fourth in the region, but that's not a reason to count them out.
"We feel as if we have underachieved a little up to this point" said Mike Corn, Columbia State head baseball coach. "Having played in a number of close games all season, we believe we will be prepared for the postseason atmosphere."
"Mike is a great leader," Littrell said. "This may not be their best season, but they always perform this time of year. They will be a contender in this tournament."
The Chargers have finished the Region VII tournament in the top two spots 19 times, placing first in 13 of those years. A perennial tough team to beat, Columbia State has also won the TJCCAA state championship 11 times and was runner-up eight times. They've also earned seven trips to the NJCAA World Series, most recently in 2014.
The winner of the softball Region VII tournament will move onto St. George, Utah next week for the World Series. Baseball's tournament champion will move onto the East Central District Tournament in Georgia to compete for a chance at the World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.
General admission tickets are $10 per day and can be purchased only at the gate. Children nine and under are free.
For information regarding travel or accommodations for the tournament, please visit http://www.columbiastate.edu/tournament.
Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.
Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.