NATCHEZ — Adams County Christian School was able to turn a blowout game into a respectable score against Columbia Academy Tuesday.

While the Lady Cougars ultimately secured the MAIS District 5-AA championship with a 14-10 win against ACCS, head coach Forrest Foster said he was glad his players cut the lead to four after trailing 14-5 entering the bottom of the seventh.

“We battled back, and I’m extremely proud of them for battling back like they did,” Foster said. “They could have dropped their heads and quit, but anytime you end the ball game with the bases loaded, you’ve done your job trying to fight your way back in the game.”

Jordan Petty and Ashton Mason both scored on a fielder error by Columbia’s Greta Corley to make it 14-7 Columbia. An intentional walk to Ashleigh Williams with the bases loaded brought home Anna McDaniel, and a single by Nikki Worthey scored Jessica Reynolds and made it 14-9.

Abby Givens singled in Braxtyn Elveston to make it 14-10 before Jordan Petty grounded out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Columbia led just 8-5 going into the top of the seventh, but the Lady Cougars scored six runs to put the game out of reach.

“We just let it slip away in the top of the seventh inning,” Foster said. “We were right there with them, and it’s just one of those things you couldn’t do anything about.”

The Lady Rebels scored first when Ashleigh Williams launched a solo home run in the bottom of the second. The Lady Cougars didn’t pitch to Williams at all after that, intentionally walking her in her next four at-bats.

Petty had an RBI single in the second inning that scored Worthey and gave ACCS an early 2-0 lead.

Columbia answered with four runs in the top of the second inning, and scored another run in the top of the fourth on a bases-loaded walk. A 6-5, heads-up double play by Givens at shortstop followed by a groudout to third base limited the damage.

Tori Laird hit a ground rule double in the bottom of the fifth that sent home Reynolds, making it 5-3 Columbia. A single by Worthey scored Laird, cutting the Lady Cougars’ lead to one.

But a three-run fourth inning by Columbia Academy extended the Lady Cougars’ lead 8-4. ACCS scored another run in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded on one of Williams’ intentional walks.

Taylor Perkins got the start for ACCS, going seven innings and giving up 14 runs on 13 hits to take the loss. She struck out five Columbia batters.

ACCS (15-13, 3-2) will host Brookhaven Academy Monday in a makeup game that was originally scheduled the week Tropical Storm Isaac moved through the area. Unless Brookhaven beats ACCS by 14 points, ACCS has an automatic berth in the South State playoffs.