How Kaylor West's historic perfect game led Liberty Creek to 1st TSSAA softball state title

MURFREESBORO — Liberty Creek sophomore pitcher Kaylor West kept it together as she celebrated her perfect game, the first in TSSAA softball state championship game history.

But the emotions finally caught up when she hugged her dad, Kerry, in the parking lot moments after leading Liberty Creek to its first title with a 1-0 victory over Huntingdon in the Class 2A final Saturday.

West cried on his shoulder, remembering where she was a year ago. She needed surgery after chipping a bone in her left leg during the first game of the Lady Wolves’ 2023 season. She went eight months without throwing a pitch.

“I couldn't lift my leg. For pitching motions, I had to just do arm circles to start off. I did that for four months until I could fully pitch,” she said. “I didn’t start fully pitching until month eighth. That’s a long time to go without throwing.

“I didn’t think I'd ever be in this moment, so it just feels crazy.”

West’s perfect game was the fifth in TSSAA softball state tournament history and first since 2016, giving Liberty Creek its first title in just the program’s second year.

She struck out five, letting the defense work behind her. First baseman Addi Kiser gloved a grounder down the line and tagged the base for the final out.

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“My curveball was working on lefties, it was hitting them right in the hands and they were struggling to hit it,” West said. “And of course my teammates were making plays behind me, not making any errors."

West started thinking about the prospect of a perfect game, “probably in the sixth inning,” she said. “I was like, ‘I could really throw this right now.’ It was in the back of my mind.”

West’s mom, Courtney, starred in basketball and softball at Beech before becoming a hall of fame basketball player at Lipscomb University. Kerry West was a Hendersonville basketball star who went on to play at Belmont and later coached the Commandos.

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Kerry had to manage his emotions in the top of the seventh inning as his daughter worked the final three outs, taking two batters to full counts.

“I wasn’t behind the plate,” he said. “I was out roaming around a little bit trying to keep my nerves down.”

Natalie Kreuziger threw a strong game for Huntingdon (24-4-1), allowing only one hit. Liberty Creek (30-9) scored on Maisen Lewis’ RBI double, which drove in Hailey Langston.

Liberty Creek coach Kelsey Cartwright credited the team’s entire pitching staff, which was deep enough that West didn’t have to pitch every game this season. It helped set up an all-time moment the school won’t soon forget.

“(A perfect game) is rare, but Kaylor West is rare,” Cartwright said. “What makes it so special is last year with her injury. A year later, she’s a state champion with a perfect game.”

Liberty Creek likely will have a chance at another title, with two more years of West in the circle.

“I know it’s not going to be the last one,” West said. “We’re just going to keep getting better as we go on. I’m so excited for the next couple years."

Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Kaylor West's perfect game leads Liberty Creek to 1st TSSAA softball title