How parents' athletic history has guided Liberty Creek softball's Kaylor West in title quest

MURFREESBORO — Just hand Kaylor West the ball.

Liberty Creek's season was on the line after a 7-3 loss to defending Class 2A state champion Westview in the winner's bracket final that forced Thursday's second game in the TSSAA Class 2A state softball tournament at McKnight Park.

West, who didn't start in the loss but pitched 1⅔ innings, took the 40-minute break between games to visualize a scenario in which her team supplied the offense while she provided enough pitching to shut down Westview. And it came true, as West recorded a complete-game shutout, striking out 10 to lead Liberty Creek to a 9-0 win.

It's the school's first-ever state championship appearance in the second year of existence, and the Lady Wolves (29-8-1) will face Huntingdon at 3 p.m. Friday for the state title at Middle Tennessee State.

"I was just thinking it's a clean slate after (Westview beat us)," West said. "We beat them (Tuesday) and they beat us. So the series was tied up and it comes down to whoever plays their best game will win. We had to throw that loss away with a completely new mindset and that's what we did."

The sophomore right-hander's poise in the circle was evident in the magnitude of the moment. She had help as teammate Maddie Floyd crushed a two-run homer in the fifth to break open a 3-0 lead. But quieting Westview's bats fell on West's shoulders, and she delivered.

Those who know West, and her pedigree, weren't surprised.

She's the daughter of Beech basketball and softball legend Courtney West, who was Courtney Boynton in high school. She went on to play college basketball at Lipscomb University (2001-05) and was inducted into the school's hall of fame in 2019.

Kaylor's father is Hendersonville assistant principal Kerry West, who played high school basketball for the Commandos and played under legendary Belmont coach Rick Byrd. Kerry, who coached Hendersonville boys basketball for 18 years, was a player on Hendersonville's first state tournament team (1992) and coached them to their second state appearance in 2003.

He was inducted into Belmont's Hall of Fame in 2003 after scoring more than 2,000 career points, and was named an NAIA All-American in 1995.

"Kaylor has always thrived in situations that are competitive," said Courtney West, who was an all-state shortstop at Beech from 1997 to 2001 and helped the Lady Bucs capture the 2001 state title. At Lipscomb, she had more than 1,400 career points and 270 steals. "But we never wanted to force sports on her. We wanted her to come to it organically. Once she did, you could tell she was competitive."

Watching Kaylor compete has been a stressful reward. While Courtney spent much of a game alternating between standing and sitting in a fold-out chair near the backstop netting, Kerry stood away from the action, watching his daughter strike out one batter after another.

"Kaylor is her own person which we're glad about," said Kerry West, who played at Belmont from 1993 to 1997 and was a roommate of current Bruins coach Casey Alexander. "It's been neat to see how she's evolved as a player and more so as a person."

Kaylor West missed all but one game during her freshman year because of a broken bone in her knee. The time away from softball was more painful than her injury. Liberty Creek was 11-12 that season.

"My family was huge during that time, my mom, my dad and (younger) sister," she said. "My teammates and coaches, too. They kept me engaged in the team and didn't forget about me."

West knows she'll get the ball in Friday's championship game and be asked to get the Lady Wolves to the finish line. She's ready.

"I've grown up knowing sports is about big moments," she said. "My parents are examples of that. But they also taught me to enjoy those moments, so that's what I'll do."

Reach sports writer George Robinson at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA softball: Kaylor West has Liberty Creek on verge of state title