Irish punch ticket to state
The 2026 softball season has been a long one for Knoxville Catholic High School.
And it recently got a little longer. But no one associated with the team is complaining.
The Lady Irish won just four games during regular-season competition, double their win total during the postseason, and will be heading to Murfreesboro after doubling their win total during the preliminary rounds of the state softball tournament.
Catholic, thanks to its postseason winning streak, will play at least two more games at Spring Fling on the Volunteer State’s grand stage.
The Lady Irish, who entered the postseason with a 4-19 record, won four Division II-AA state tournaments games, sweeping a series in the first round and in the state quarterfinals to earn its first trip to the state’s grand stage for the first time in more than four decades.
The Lady Irish (8-19) clinched the first trip to the state tournament for the first time since 1984 when they toppled top-seeded Briarcrest Christian School, 14-4, on Wednesday, may 13, in Memphis. Catholic defeated the Lady Saints, 10-3, in the first game of the series, winning both ends of the double header.
“This is just a surreal feeling,” Catholic acting co-head coach Haden Roberts said. “We don’t have a good record but we’re looking forward to the opportunity to go down there and compete against some of the best teams.
“It’s been a lot of fun and we got hot at the right time. Both of our pitchers, Adelyn DeBusk and Isabelle Holleman did a good job with their location and they do a good job changing speeds.”
DeBusk started the first game Wednesday in West Tennessee and held the Lady Saints to just five hits while Holleman hurled the nightcap, throwing a five-inning complete game.
She also did some damage at the plate for the Lady Irish as she went 2-for-3 and drove in four runs.
A supporting cast also chipped in at the dish at the plate as the Lady Irish clubbed 15 hits in five team ar-bats.
In the first game of the series, Catherine Schaad had a three-run double and Holleman came up with an RBI single.
Adelyn DeBusk earned the win in the circle as she tossed seven innings and allowed three runs, five hits and two walks for the Lady Irish, who opened state tournament play with an opening-round sweep over Father Ryan on May 8, in Chattanooga.
Catholic won the series opener, 6-1, before winning the nightcap, 15-0, exploding for eight runs in the top of the seventh inning.
The Lady Irish opened tournament play Tuesday against Chattanooga Girls Preparatory School on Tuesday but results weren’t available at press time.
