STUNNING EXIT: Daviess County upsets No. 1 South Warren in state tourney opener

Published 12:29 pm Friday, June 6, 2025

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South Warren designated player Keegan Pruitt (17) shows frustration after getting tagged out on third base by Daviess County third baseman Sadie Morris (24) in the Spartans’ 3-1 loss to the Panthers in the first round of the KHSAA State Softball Tournament at UK’s John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Ky., on Thursday, June 5, 2025. GRACE MCDOWELL / BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS

LEXINGTON — The South Warren softball team’s quest for a state title will have to wait another year after Thursday’s stunning 3-1 loss to Daviess County in the opening round of the KHSAA state softball tournament at John Cropp Stadium.

South Warren’s high-powered offense was held to one run, with Daviess County avenging a regular-season loss to knock out the Spartans in the opening round.

It was another disappointing setback for a team that entered the tournament No. 1 in the state and the clear favorite to win a state title.

“Daviess County is a tough team,” South Warren coach Kelly Reynolds said. “They have been all year. They are gritty. They fight. Offensively they were on and we struggled putting the ball in play when we needed it. We had some good hard hits, but we couldn’t get things to fall for us.”

For junior shortstop McLaine Hudson, Thursday’s loss was especially heart-breaking for a Spartans team that has made the state tournament three of the last four years, but has been unable to get to that state championship game.

“You’ve just got to get over that hump,” Hudson said. “We have been the favorite for like five years in a row, so you’ve just got to get over the hump. You can’t let it get to you. We all want to win a state championship, but every other team here does too — and the ones at home.”

South Warren and Daviess County was locked in a pitcher’s duel through the first four innings before the Spartans finally broke through in the top of the fifth.

Kaylee Wilson opened with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Hudson then delivered an RBI double to left to make the score 1-0. South Warren (34-4) was unable to add to the lead however, with two fly outs and a ground out following the Hudson double.

“We were right there at the heart of our lineup,” Reynolds said. “It just stinks. I told the girls you were ranked the No. 1 team all year long. They feel the pressure. We feel the pressure. When you get to the big stage, you’ve got to perform. Daviess County, they competed. I felt like we kind of got going there a little bit and when they scored those two runs it took the gas out of us a little bit.”

Daviess County (27-3) answered in the bottom of the inning.

Callie Smith doubled to lead off the inning and after a strikeout moved to third on a wild pitch. Briley Henry reached on a fielder’s choice — a bunt right in front of home plate — and alertly advanced to second with the attention on preventing Smith from scoring.

South Warren pitcher Courtney Norwood struck out the next batter for the second out, but Kamryn Timmons smashed a two-run double into the gap in left center to give Daviess County a 2-1 lead.

“I think whenever you are in a state tournament game you’ve got to come out and throw the first punch,” Hudson said. “We ended up throwing the first punch, but you’ve got to get back up after you get down two runs. It’s heartbreaking because this team is so good. These are my best friends and it is really hard.”

Daviess County added a run in the sixth on an RBI single by Molly Hancock, but South Warren had a chance in the top of the seventh.

Keegan Pruitt opened the inning reaching after being hit by a pitch. After a fly out to center, Hudson smacked a single down the line in left. Pruitt tried to advance to third, but Clark fired a strike to third to gun Pruitt down for the second out.

Kinleigh Russell followed with a fly out to center to end the threat.

“I was bringing Keegan the whole way,” Reynolds said. “I thought right there you have to take a chance. You are in the top of the seventh inning. You are down 3-1. You’ve got to try take a chance there. Maybe it would have worked and obviously it didn’t, but I wasn’t going to not take the chance with what we had coming up.”

Both teams finished with five hits. Hudson and Wilson had two hits each for South Warren, which stranded seven and finished 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

“We had a big target on our back and we let it get to us,” Hudson said. “We really had nothing to prove. We should have played loose and had nothing to lose.”

Norwood took the loss, allowing two runs and three hits with seven strikeouts in five innings.

“I thought she had a great game,” Reynolds said. “I know she was disappointed in the one hit she gave up, but ultimately our offense let her down. She did nothing wrong.”

South Warren should once again be a contender next season, losing one senior — Jenna Lindsey — with the bulk of the lineup juniors this season. Norwood is a sophomore and has been one of the top starters for South Warren the last four years.

“I told the girls to go and enjoy your summer,” Reynolds said. “Now they will get into travel ball, once the school year starts it is starting to refocus everything. It’s just a hard-fought road to get to. We have a very talented group of girls. We will have a lot of talent next year, but it’s hard. It’s the game of softball.”

SWHS 000 010 0 — 1 5 1

DCHS 000 021 X — 3 5 0

WP: Timmons LP: Norwood S: Cain