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Columbia Academy Wins TSSAA DII-A Baseball State Championship For Second Year in a Row

Issue #446

May 24, 2025

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🌨️ Columbia’s Weather - Cloudy, occasional rain showers w/ high of 69 & low of 60

⚾️ Columbia Academy Wins TSSAA DII-A Baseball State Championship For Second Year in a Row

🚧 TDOT Suspends All Construction-Related Lane Closures for Memorial Day Weekend

📌 May 26: Memorial Day Event at Heritage Funeral Home

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🎵 Today’s Live Music

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🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Columbia Academy Wins TSSAA DII-A Baseball State Championship For Second Year in a Row

Columbia Academy capped off a historic season by securing its second straight TSSAA Division II-A state baseball championship with a 2-0 victory over Clarksville Academy yesterday at Middle Tennessee State University.

With a 36-5 overall record, the Bulldogs wrapped up their title run on the strength of elite pitching and timely execution. The championship game marked their third consecutive shutout in the tournament, showcasing a pitching staff that has become one of the most dominant in the state.

Senior William Rhodes led the way in the final, pitching a complete game while allowing six hits and striking out seven. His performance followed standout efforts earlier in the tournament by juniors Gunner Skelton and Jackson Lee. Skelton struck out 12 in a semifinal win over Clarksville Academy, while Lee fanned 14 batters in a quarterfinal matchup against Providence Academy. All three pitchers were also key contributors to last year’s championship.

Columbia Academy found its runs through disciplined, small-ball strategy. Sacrifice hits from Rhodes in the second inning and Jacob Woodard in the fifth gave the Bulldogs all the offense they needed to close out the title.

The program has now won four state championships overall, but this year’s back-to-back titles mark uncharted territory. Until recently, Columbia Academy had never made consecutive trips to the state tournament. Just three years ago, the team was eliminated early in the district bracket. The current stretch—43 wins over the past two seasons—has set a new standard.

Under head coach Richie Estep, who brought previous state championship experience to the program, the Bulldogs have embraced a culture of consistency, resilience, and championship expectations. Estep, who took over in 2014 after a successful run at Goodpasture, emphasized the importance of seizing these moments and building a lasting legacy.

The postgame celebration reflected the magnitude of the moment, with the team lifting the championship trophy in front of an energized fan section. Skelton, already thinking ahead to next year, led the team in saluting their supporters—aware that defending a title once is hard, but doing it twice is even rarer.

With one more year left for Skelton and several key players returning, Columbia Academy isn’t just satisfied with back-to-back titles—they’re already setting their sights on a third.

TDOT Suspends All Construction-Related Lane Closures for Memorial Day Weekend

Road Construction will not delay motorists traveling Tennessee's highways this Memorial Day weekend. The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will suspend all construction-related lane closures on interstates and state routes from noon on Friday, May 23, through 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 27. This will provide maximum roadway capacity for the record-breaking number of motorists expected to take a road trip in the state this Memorial Day weekend.

AAA predicts 948,388 Tennesseans will travel for Memorial Day, with the majority, 800,250, driving to their destination. That’s compared to 783,595 last year.

May 26: Memorial Day Event at Heritage Funeral Home

Join us this Memorial Day as we honor and remember the brave men and women who served our country.

Stop by Monday, May 26th from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM for a time of community, remembrance, and refreshments.

609 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401

Hot dogs and drinks will be served — all are welcome!

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Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Saturday, May 24th

Sunday, May 25th

Monday, May 26th

📌 Mark Your Calendars…

May 29 - 31: Music City Rodeo
June 5-8: CMA Fest
June 7-8: Nashville Comicon
June 7-8: Great Tennessee Air Show

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Saturday, May 24th

Ben Daniels, Keg Springs, 2:00 - 5:00 PM
Carson Phillips, Amber Falls Winery, 3:00 - 8:00 PM
Rett Stocstill, Buck & Board, 5:00 - 8:00 PM
The Def Leprechaun Band, McCreary’s Irish Pun 7:00 - 9:00 PM
The Deltaz, Puckett’s, 7:30 - 9:00 PM
The Petty Junkies, The Mulehouse, 8:00 PM
Grace West Band, Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 8:00 - 11:00 PM
Power Play, The Boondox, 8:00 - 11:00 PM

Sunday, May 25th

Braise Killen, Amber Falls Winery, 1:00-5:00 PM
Brandon Bartley, Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 4:00-7:00 PM
Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6:00-7:30 PM

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