South Warren softball blanks Bullitt East, finishes perfect 45-0 season with first state title

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WBKO) - It all came down to one final game — a perfect season and a shot at history on the line.

South Warren softball came into the final game of the season and defeated Bullitt East, 8-0, to win the state championship and complete a flawless 45-0 season in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

“Oh man, it’s just, I don’t want to say it’s unbelievable because it is believable out of this bunch. It’s 100% believable and we did it. I mean, I go back to the very first time we practiced this year and everything else, and it’s just like ‘wow.’” said head coach Kelly Reynolds.

Senior Layla Ogden added, “We’ve been working so hard for this and I think it just shows how we can push through it and all the diversity and all the things that have happened, the hiccups. It’s the last year for me. So I think it just shows that we are a good team and we love each other so much.”

The game was a pitchers’ duel early, with both teams held hitless through the first two innings. South Warren finally broke through in the bottom of the third when Kalie Kuzma led off with a single. Two walks followed to load the bases, and with two outs, Kinleigh Russell delivered the first big swing — a two-run single to shallow left-center to put the Lady Spartans ahead 2-0.

“You know, I’m just super grateful. This team, you know, I wouldn’t want it to end any other way. This team deserves everything. And I think we just really made a statement this season, throughout the whole season, throughout the whole regular season, postseason. So it’s just super amazing,” added Russell.

Bullitt East threatened in the fourth by putting runners on, but South Warren pitcher Courtney Norwood slammed the door with a strikeout to strand both runners. The Spartans then created separation in the bottom of the inning. Three straight singles loaded the bases, and after Bullitt East recorded two outs, Parker Willoughby lifted a fly ball to shallow center that was dropped, clearing the bases and stretching the lead to 5-0.

Bullitt East got its first hit in the sixth on a single to right from Allie Carter, but South Warren kept the Chargers off the scoreboard once again. In the bottom half, the Spartans added insurance with three more runs — RBI singles from Hadley Borders and Willoughby, plus a sacrifice fly from Layla Ogden.

All that remained was the final three outs. Norwood finished the job in shutout fashion, striking out the final batter to secure the 8-0 win and cement South Warren’s place in history with a perfect championship season.

Norwood added, “I knew it was a strike before he called it. Like I just knew it was a strike. I trusted Kinleigh so much and she knew it, too, and it was just so awesome that it was a strikeout.”

“It’s just the relief. We did it. 45 games. Not a loss. And we did it. It just shows how good we are and close we are and how our friendship has pushed us to this moment,” concluded Ogden.