The South Warren softball team opened the Region 4 Tournament in record fashion with an 11-0, five-inning win over Clinton County on Monday at the WKU Softball Complex.

McLaine Hudson set the state record for most hits in a career while Layla Ogden continued her record power surge to lift the Spartans into the semifinals.

“We kind of had a tiny bit of a slow start,” South Warren coach Kelly Reynolds said. “Clinton put the ball in play. They had six hits to our eight. I thought our defense did a really good job going after balls. Our outfield got some work. But once we got going offensively, we kinda went.”

Clinton County (28-11) opened the game with a double and single off South Warren starter Courtney Norwood before Norwood ended the threat with three straight strikeouts.

“We’ve been here before but still when you are here and in the limelight and you’ve got the crowd, sometimes the first game you’ve really got to work your nerves out on,” Reynolds said. “I thought once Courtney got past that first inning, she locked in.”

South Warren (32-3) got on the board in the bottom of the inning on a solo shot by Odgen, who equaled a state record with a homer in six straight games.

“I didn’t even know it was over, to be honest,” Ogden said. “I was like, ‘I gotta get to (second),’ and then I was like, ‘Oh it’s over. That’s great.’”

Ogden was just getting started.

The Spartans broke it open with six runs in the second. Jenna Lindsey and Kaylee Wilson had RBI singles to set the table for Ogden, who capped the rally with a two-run, opposite-field homer to right-center. It was her 24th of the season – tying the record for homers in a season set last year by Montgomery County’s Reaghan Oney. The WKU commit is now two homers ahead of future college teammate Jozie Lashley from Oldham County – who has 22 entering the Region 8 Tournament.

“It feels amazing,” Ogden said. “I’ve had goosebumps the whole game thinking about it.

“I’m just hitting every single day, putting the work in.”

The records continued in the third.

South Warren added three more runs – including an RBI triple by Hudson. The hit was Hudson’s 360th, surpassing Kaylee Tow, who played for Madisonville-North Hopkins from 2012-17, for the record.

“As soon as I hit it I knew it was down,” Hudson said. “It was almost like a relief, finally a monkey off my back. I knew I was close, so it was amazing to get that hit, round the bases and help my team.”

The Spartans added one more run on an RBI single from Hadley Borders in the fourth.

Wilson and Ogden finished with two hits each, while Borders scored a pair of runs.

Norwood allowed five hits with eight strikeouts in four innings, while Ogden tossed one scoreless inning – allowing one hit and one strikeout.

“We have so much talent and everybody knows that,” Reynolds said. “The girls know it. Sometimes they stress themselves over stats and this and that. I sent them a quote today and it was something to the effect of letting things go and playing your game.

“… Everybody wants after us. It’s not an easy road. We are always gonna get everybody’s best.”

Chloe Longwell had two hits for Clinton County.

South Warren is scheduled to face Barren County in Wednesday’s semifinals at 7:30 p.m. at the WKU Softball Complex in a rematch of last year’s region title game.

CCHS 000 00 – 0 6 2

SWHS 163 1X – 11 8 0

WP: Norwood LP: Messer

Barren County 11, Franklin-Simpson 8

Gracie Myatt had three hits and three RBIs as the Trojanettes took control midway through and held on to win a slugfest over the Lady Cats.

Franklin-Simpson (16-19) scored in each of the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead before Barren County (21-6) scored three in the top of the third to slip in front.

An RBI single from Kaitlyn Woodall tied the score 3-3 in the bottom of the inning, but the Trojanettes were able to regain the lead for good with four in the fourth – highlighted by an RBI triple from Myatt.

Kloie Smith’s two-run single cut the deficit to 7-5 in the bottom of the fourth, but Barren County answered with three in the fifth – including an RBI single by Myatt and a bases-loaded walk to Briley Aidala to push the lead back to 10-5.

Franklin-Simpson was unable to get closer than three runs the rest of the way.

Lizzie Smith added two hits and two RBIs for Barren County, while Aidala finished with two RBIs.

Woodall had two hits and two RBIs for the Lady Cats, while Allie Utley and Ava Holland added two hits each for the Lady Cats.

BCHS 003 431 0 – 11 10 2

FSHS 111 221 0 – 8 12 5

WP: Bogue LP: Blanckenberg