COLUMBUS, Ga. – South Effingham’s dreams of a softball state title fell short Saturday afternoon after an 11-3 loss to Creekview in the finals of the Class 5A State Fast Pitch Softball Championships.

The Mustangs (26-5) defeated Veterans 8-5 in their first game of the day and needed a sweep of the Grizzlies to take the championship back to Guyton.

This year’s team equaled the accomplishments of the 2005 squad by advancing to the title games.

“You leave disappointed, but it’s important to be proud of what it took to get to that point,” SEHS coach Adam Newland said.

Creekview’s hot bats seal back-to-back titles

Creekview (29-5), the defending state champion, opened the scoring with four runs in the first inning. When the Mustangs closed within 4-3 in the third, the Grizzlies answered with four runs in the bottom half and ended the game with three more in the fifth.

Emma Nix, who did not start in Creekview’s 6-2 win over South on Friday night, went 4-for-4 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs to lead a 13-hit attack.

Caroline Schultz added a three-run homer in the third inning for the Grizzlies, who did not lose a game in the double-elimination, eight-team tournament.

“Those kids are the defending state champions for a reason,” Newland said.

Trailing 4-0, South showed its resilience by bunching four of its six hits in the third inning. The Mustangs’ first run scored on an error before two-out, run-scoring singles from Justine Nevels and Abbey Jordan made it a one-run game.

Mustangs show fight in early win over Veterans

South fought off adversity in its first game of the day as well. Veterans scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth after the Mustangs appeared to be in cruise control.

In the top of the seventh, Nevels, Jordan and Taylor Swann had run-scoring hits to break the tie.

“We talked about it all week – the most important thing was the next thing,” Newland said. “Obviously, it was going to be an uphill climb. It was good to see the kids respond in that situation.”

From the start Saturday, South seemed to overcome Friday’s loss to Creekview psychologically. Two batters into the game with Veterans, Danni Lynn lifted a long two-run homer for a 2-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, two errors fueled South’s two-run outburst. Alyssa Martin and Nevels each drove in a run.

With the help of some outstanding defense, Mustang pitcher Cheniyah Jackson held Veterans scoreless through five innings. The Warhawks (29-8) had seven straight batters reach base in the sixth inning en route to tying the game before South rallied in the seventh.

Bright future ahead

With eight starters returning next year, the Mustangs — ranked fourth by ScoreAtlanta in its pre-playoff rankings — look poised for another deep postseason run.

“Hopefully the experience (of getting to the championship game) leaves you with the battle scars to remain hungry for the next time,” Newland said.