COLUMBUS, Ga. — State championships never get old.
Just ask the Piedmont Academy fast-pitch softball team.
The Lady Cougars capped another state championship season Saturday by defeating Southwest Georgia twice. Once again, Piedmont reigns supreme in GIAA Class AA.
“It never gets old but it seems like they get tougher,” said Lady Cougars head coach Joe Johnson. “Southwest Georgia clipped us pretty good on Friday so it was a great accomplishment to come back and beat them twice Saturday.”
Piedmont’s bats were on fire for most of the Final Four in Columbus. The team had three homers in the championship game (two from Teagan Hinson and one from Kamie Gibby).
Overall, Marissa Holder and Hinson both had three homers while Gibby had two after the team got to Columbus
The Lady Cougars defeated Citizens Christian 8-0 on Thursday before falling to Southwest Georgia 11-2 on Friday.
Piedmont then defeated Brentwood 17-2. This set up a rematch with Southwest Georgia but it would take two wins on Saturday by the Lady Cougars to claim another state title trophy.
A 6-2 win was followed by a 12-8 victory against the Lady Warriors.
“Sometimes getting punched in the mouth is a good thing,” Johnson said. “You can tell the players all you want but they have to believe it. Nothing went our way in the first game against Southwest Georgia. They had two players connect for homers who had never had any in their careers.”
After the final game, Piedmont Academy players shared their thoughts on their fourth straight state championship.
“It feels amazing to win four consecutive state championships because winning never gets old, especially when you know how hard you’ve worked,” said senior Breck Piedra. “It’s great to come out on top for my last year playing as a senior.”
Junior Marissa Holder said it is great continuing to make history for both her school and GIAA Class AA.
“The keys to winning state championships is never to be satisfied and continuing to show up ready to work and be great every day at practice,” Holder said.
Piedmont finishes the 2023 season 24-6 overall with a
Perfect 8-0 mark in region.
The Lady Cougars played their toughest schedule to date, according to their coach.
“We knew going to Columbus that Southwest Georgia was really going to be [tough] and that would be who we would have to beat,” Johnson said. “Their top pitcher is really good.”
Hinson homered in the first game against Southwest Georgia on Saturday helping to a 6-2 win. Piedra and Hinson both drove in two runs.
Emily Whitwell earned the win, striking out five batters in seven innings of work in the pitcher’s circle.
“This is really a surreal feeling,” Whitwell said. “It feels amazing to know that all of our hard work paid off when it mattered. Playing together as a team and staying positive were keys for us.”
Whitwell then earned the win in the 12-8 win to clinch the championship. She had two more strikeouts in the final game.
Hinson had five RBI with two homers.
While Piedmont will lose Piedra to graduation, the remainder of the team returns, setting up another deep run in the postseason in 2024.
Junior Kylee Keck has been part of all four championships for the softball program.
“Most teams are lucky to win one title, much less four,” Keck said. “We have worked so hard every year for this outcome and the memories I have made will last a lifetime.”
Keck said the keys to repeating once again in 2023 were effort and attitude.
“Everyone did their job and we worked as a team,” said Keck, who played second base in the field. “For us it was one out and one run scored at a time. We gave everything we had four one last weekend and fought back and never quit.”
