AN EIGHTH GRADER, SCORES IN THE SIXTH INNING.
SPARTANS’ OGDEN NAMED TOURNAMENT MVP; TROJANETTES FINISH SEASON AT 28-8
South Warren High School’s vaunted fast-pitch softball team is headed back to the KHSAA State Tournament.
The Spartans, the No. 1-ranked team in Kentucky, slipped past a dogged Barren County squad, 4-2, in the KHSAA 4th Region championship game on Thursday night at the WKU Softball Complex.
South Warren (37-3) will face Elizabethown (28-7) in first-round play of the state tournament on June 7 at the University of Kentucky’s John Cropp Stadium in Lexington. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m., on the second day of first-round matchups.
IIf the Spartans can win two games next weekend, they’ll return for the state semifinals on June 14.
South Warren was making its third consecutive appearance in the title tilt, including last year’s 2-1 loss to crosstown rival Greenwood. In 2022, the Spartans showed a penchant for dramatic comebacks and reached the semifinals of the state tournament before finishing the season 38-3.
The Spartans pulled out an 8-5 victory over Greenwood in the 4th Region title game that year, needing 10 innings to punch their ticket to Lexington.
TENSE 4-2 VICTORY OVER
BARREN COUNTY WITH A DOGPILE.
TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT.
South Warren has been the No. 1-ranked softball team in the Commonwealth for virtually the entire season, putting a metaphorical target on the Spartans’ back. South coach Kelly Reynolds used two pitchers, sophomore right-hander Layla Ogden, the tournament MVP, and freshman right-hander Courtney Norwood, who started the game before working the first four innings.
All of them scoreless.
The Spartans struck for a single run in the fourth inning, on Norwood’s RBI single to center field with two outs, but a critical base running mistake might have cost them another run. South Warren had a similar base running blunder in the first inning.
South extended its lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Ogden drew a bases-loaded walk from Barren County pitcher Shea Bogue with two outs. The Trojanettes also had an error in the infield in that inning.
South Warren added two runs in the bottom of the sixth, when the Trojanettes couldn’t make a play at the plate on Kaylee Wilson’s bunt with one out and two base runners in scoring position. An error charged to Bogue allowed two runs to score, and South Warren had a 4-0 lead heading into the seventh inning.
Barren County battled back, however, against Ogden and the Spartans, in its final at bat. Briley Aidala lined a two-run, two-out single to left-center field, trimming the Trojanettes’ deficit to 4-2.
WKU signee Katie Murphy then lined a double to left-center field, leaving two base runners in scoring position, before Ogden retired Riley Reed on a ground ball to second base.
TO 4-0 IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH.
MAKES THE PLAY TO END THE GAME.
A CALLED THIRD STRIKE
TO END THE TOP OF THE SIXTH.
Kinleigh Russell, one of several key Spartans players who happen to be sophomores, stayed in front of the ball and got it to Norwood at first base in time to end the game.
“We still have work to do,” South Warren coach Kelly Reynolds said. “We’re getting closer … All year long, we’ve prepared ourselves for these kinds of situations (like the seventh inning) …
“I think we’re ready to get the job done (at the state tournament).”
I’ll have a complete story on the game tomorrow morning at jimmashek.com. Thanks for reading.
IN FIRST-ROUND PLAY
OF THE STATE TOURNAMENT.
SHE MIGHT GO ON THE ROAD TO LEXINGTON …