How Tennessee softball signee Saviya Morgan set TSSAA stolen base record

COLUMBIA – As Saviya Morgan slid into second base for her third stolen base of the game, the Columbia Central dugout erupted in cheers Tuesday.

To the uninformed spectator it seemed like another one of the hundreds of stolen bases Morgan has had throughout her career. This one, though, was special.

It was Morgan’s 74th stolen base of the season, a new Tennessee high school softball state record. The previous single-season record of 73 was set in 2012 by former Beech standout Heather Montgomery.

“Halfway throughout the season, once I got to 60 and realized we had more games left, I was like I can definitely get there. As long as we keep winning and get through districts then I knew I could get it …” Morgan said. “It’s very exciting. As long as I can get on base I know I can get my steals. I just have to focus in the box to be able to make my way on first base.”

The record was set in a 3-2 win over Warren County in a TSSAA softball playoff District 9-4A elimination game.

Columbia now moves on to another district elimination game against Coffee County. A win there would put the Lady Lions in the district championship.

More: Top Columbia area high school softball stars for the 2024 TSSAA season

Morgan said it took her some time earlier in her career to learn to properly time pitchers before stealing, but at this point it’s close to second nature.

Her quickness is perhaps Morgan’s greatest tool while stealing, with her lighting quick speed out of the gate making it next to impossible for opposing pitchers to react in time.

“She's fast right out of the box, you know, (for) some it takes them two or three, four steps to get wound up and get going. That's what makes her special is her speed right out of the box, she's full speed," Columbia coach Jon McDonald said. "And when she's running the bases there's no wasted steps like she's not swinging too wide ... there's no wasted steps at all.”

It takes more than just speed to steal though, especially when every team Morgan faces is cognizant of her baserunning ability. She said it’s all about keeping the pitcher guessing, switching up when and if she goes so the opposing team is never quite ready.

More: How Tennessee softball signee Saviya Morgan is chasing TSSAA record with her blazing speed

That’s not the only factor running through Morgan’s head in the milliseconds it takes for her to decide to take off for the next base. Perhaps most important is the position of the infielders.

“I look for where the shortstop is, because I know she's going to cover the bag," Morgan said. "So if she's playing back, then I know she's probably going to be on the backside, or if she's playing up, she's going to be right in front. So that helps me determine where to either like, slide into the bag or hook slide outside.”

Morgan and Columbia Central have hopes of a TSSAA regional tournament berth before she heads off to play softball at Tennessee next year, with a newly minted state record in hand.

“It's one of those things where you want them to do well, but it's kind of like, 'Oh my gosh, I didn't think she would do this.' And she never ceases to amaze us," Latasha Morgan, Saviya's mother, said. "Even in basketball (she) has the record here for the most steals in a game, she has 11 ... so just to see her, just continually push herself and her work ethic it's truly amazing.”

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: TSSAA softball: Saviya Morgan breaks stolen base record