The Farragut Admirals faced Clarksville in the TSSAA Class 4A state championship at Starplex on Saturday, May 28, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Farragut won 4-0. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO — From her crouch and twist to her rock-back windup and delivery, the pitch stylings of Avery Flatford were on display one final time Saturday at state.
Farragut softball fans have watched the routine from the senior left-hander for years and seen it work marvels in clutch moments.
And in the 4A state championship at Murfreesboro’s StarPlex Field No. 4, Flatford dazzled again.
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The Tennessee Tech signee struck out 10 and allowed just one hit, as Farragut followed its 2021 Class 3A championship with a 4A title Saturday in a 4-0 win over Clarksville. It’s the first-ever 4A championship in TSSAA softball history.
“She’s pretty special. That’s obvious,” Farragut softball coach Nick Green said of Flatford’s performance. “When she’s good to go, she’s pretty lights out.
“She gave up the one single in the bottom of the seventh. She was lights out in the tournament. But, we wouldn’t be here without our other pitcher, Emma Mactavish. She was 21-2. We wouldn’t be here without both of them. But (Flatord) is special, for sure.”
Farragut (43-3-1) lost its first game of the 2022 postseason, a 7-6 loss to Maryville on May 5. But the Lady Admirals didn’t lose again, closing the season on a 12-game winning streak.
They stormed through the 4A bracket this week, winning their first three games by a 24-2 margin and putting themselves in a position to where Clarksville had to beat them twice Saturday to win the title.
Farragut didn’t even let them come close.
Ava Guzowski led off the top of the fourth with a deep double off the left-field fence, and Autumn Caywood singled her in for a 1-0 lead.
Guzowski added an RBI in the fifth, as did Addison Pressley.
Guzowski finished 2 for 4.
“I was just being patient up there. I was just being calm,” Guzowski said of her offensive approach. “I was just focused on staying on top of the ball because she (Clarksville’s pitcher) was throwing a lot of rise-balls.
“I was focused on attacking early, and it worked out for me.”
Clarksville got a runner on in the fifth, but that attempt at a rally got squashed by Flatford. She struck out three consecutive batters to send Farragut into the sixth still ahead 3-0.
Farragut sophomore Delaney Shrader logged an RBI in the sixth, giving Flatford even more breathing room to cap her prep career with a win and second state championship.
Farragut won baseball and softball state titles in the same day. And they did it in the same season for the first time since 1982.
“It’s different. This one’s bittersweet,” Flatford said of the second title. “For most of us, this is our last time playing with each other. Growing up with them, it’s definitely happy and sad at the same time.”
5STAR PHOTOS: Farragut Baseball State Championship, Farragut Softball State Championship