What returning to Columbia meant to Lady Vols softball's Saviya Morgan at Midstate Classic
COLUMBIA − Lining the fences at Ridley Sports Complex on Tuesday were rows of Summitt blue.
And adorning the back of almost every Lady Vols jerseys in the crowd was the same number: 20.
A large crowd helped celebrate the return of Columbia's top softball product in recent years, outfielder Saviya Morgan, a Columbia Central graduate and a freshman for the Lady Vols.
Tennessee (26-4) run-ruled Eastern Kentucky 8-0 in five innings at the Midstate Classic, an annual tournament hosted by the City of Columbia, which returned to Maury County for a 10th year after being canceled last season. Sophia Nugent hit two home runs and drove in six RBIs against the Colonels (19-7).
"At first I was very overwhelmed but then once we got out here I knew to calm down and just play the game and have fun," Morgan said. "... being out here and watching them (in the past) and then visualizing myself coming back out here in the next few years, it was really amazing."
Morgan stepped up for her first at bat to raucous cheers, which paled in comparison to the screams which came after the game from youth softball players looking to secure Morgan's autograph.
"It proves that there's always somebody watching from small (kids) to the college coaches," Columbia coach Jon McDonald said. "To see her giving all these little girls hope of being able to live out their dreams, playing college ball at the highest level, that's pretty cool because they see her, they know she's from here and now she's coming home to represent us in the biggest game."
Morgan has played a big role in her first season at Tennessee. She has started every game this season, batting .358 and 17-of-23 on stolen bases.
"I watched her this past summer in travel ball, and she'd already committed to us, but I just saw this big improvement in her and had a feeling that she was going to have a chance to play, but a lot of it depended on her and how she approached things," Lady Vols coach Karen Weekly said. "And she's just one of the best learners I've ever coached.
"She has the ability to take the information and apply it, pretty much right away, and apply it without drama and ego and the emotions sometimes that a lot of freshman have to get past in order to make adjustments ... because of that she's been able to have success already."
It was surreal for Morgan's family for her to become the main attraction in Tuesday's headliner game.
"It's one of those moments where you're more than proud," Latasha Morgan, Saviya's mother, said. "Words can't even express how proud you are to see your child."
Midstate Classic bringing top level softball to Columbia
Tuesday started with a high school rivalry game between Columbia Central and Spring Hill. Columbia won 16-0.
In the second game, Calhoun Community College defeated Columbia State 7-3.
The Midstate Classic was brought to Columbia through the work of city manager Tony Massey, who formerly worked as City Manager in Bristol, which at the time hosted the Lady Vols in a similarly styled tournament each year. Moving to Columbia, Massey worked to keep the tradition alive in his new home.
The inaugural Midstate Classic in 2014 brought in roughly 3,000 fans, which by Massey's estimated is the largest crowd for a college softball game in Tennessee. Columbia remains the only city in Tennessee outside of Knoxville to host the Lady Vols annually.
"There's just so much love for big orange here in the midstate," Weekly said. "You see it, we come out and there's 3,000 fans out here and every year we've come it's been that way ... the people just come out to show the love and support to out girls and I know it means so much to our girls to feel that and to be able to come here and give back to them."
Harrison Campbell covers high school sports and more for The Daily Herald. Email him at hcampbell@gannett.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Lady Vols softball's Saviya Morgan returns to Columbia for Midstate Classic
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