On March 6, the Times Free Press previewed the 2009 local high school softball season with a story that focused on Chattanooga Christian. In that story, the Lady Chargers’ Laura Curtis was quoted as saying: “I would love to have a district and region championship my senior year.”

On Wednesday in the Region 3-AA championship game, Curtis went out and made sure she achieved that goal. She reached base four times, starting with a home run in the bottom of the first inning that started Chattanooga Christian toward a 6-1 victory over Sequatchie County.

As a reward for being a region champion, CCS (20-8) will play at home in a state sectional for the first time when it hosts DeKalb County at 5 p.m. Sequatchie County (18-5) will play at Region 4 champion Goodpasture at a time to be determined.

The bases were empty and two were out when Curtis unloaded one over the fence for an early lead. There was quite a welcoming committee when she got to home.

“That’s always the best part,” Curtis said. “It’s not about me, though, it’s about helping the team.”

The Lady Indians managed to tie the game in the second. Chelsey Tabor hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded before winning pitcher Jennifer Long suppressed any further damage.

An inning later Long hit a triple into the left-field corner that scored Curtis with the tie-breaking run and Sarah Hundley followed with a sacrifice fly. The Lady Chargers broke it open with two out when Jennifer O’Dell cleared a bases-loaded situation with a double to left-center. It was questionable whether Sequatchie pitcher Courtney Dawson caught Chelsea Sims’ line drive back at her, but it was ruled she didn’t hang on to the ball long enough to be considered a catch, which would’ve ended the inning before O’Dell came to bat.

“There was a question whether she made a catch and was dropping the ball,” CCS coach Emily Pensinger said. “The rulebook does say you’ve got to have control of it. The umpire didn’t say anything, so I kept my runners on the bases.”

Said Sequatchie coach Courtney Stewart: “I don’t know if it changed momentum, but it definitely took our heads out of the ballgame for a while.”

Long worked around four errors and allowed three hits and no walks, although she hit a batter. She struck out two.

Curtis doubled in her last at-bat. In between she drew two of the season-high five walks Dawson allowed.

“We struggled a little bit,” Stewart said. “We didn’t hit the ball when we needed to. We hit the ball to people, instead of where you’re supposed to.”

Sequatchie was the District 6 regular-season champion, but the Lady Chargers won the district tournament. They’re now 5-0 this postseason.

“We’ve seemed all season to have had things happen or something just didn’t go our way,” Pensinger said. “I think it’s taught us to take advantage of every little opportuninty every game, and not look past anybody.”

Region 3-AA final

CHATTANOOGA CHRISTIAN 6, SEQUATCHIE COUNTY 1

Sequatchie 010 000 0 — 1 3 1

CCS 105 000 x — 5 7 4

WP: Jennifer Long (15-7). LP: Courtney Dawson. HR: Laura Curtis (CCS). 3B: Long (CCS). 2B: Marie Beaty, Jennifer O’Dell, Curtis (CCS). Highlights: Curtis 2-2, RBI, 2 runs; Long 2-4, RBI; O’Dell 3 RBIs (CCS); Chelsey Tabor SF, RBI (SC). Records: CCS 20-8; Sequatchie 18-5.