Storybook ending just what she was looking for

GREENSBORO — In her first year at Southwestern Randolph High School, senior Katelyn West said she was hoping to go further than any of her previous years in high school softball.

Well, you can’t go any further than she did this year as she was a key cog in the powerful Cougar machine that captured its second state title in the past three years and sixth overall Saturday at UNCG.

For her efforts in the NCHSAA 4-A state tournament, West was named the most valuable player after getting the pitching win in Game 1 with a complete-game effort and registering three hits in each of the two games as the Cougars recorded wins of 8-3 and 11-5 to sweep West Stanly in the best-of-3 series.

“I am so grateful,” said West, who along with Bristol Marine transferred to SWR from Uwharrie Charter Academy, where she played her first three years. “I went into this tournament, I was really nervous. I have never been on this stage before. Eight other people have been on this stage before. They helped me calm my nerves. 

“After a few pitches of that first game, I knew we had it. There was a calm that came over me. I knew we had it.”

Eight players on this year’s roster were on the 2024 team that captured the 2-A state championship. This year’s title can be added to the ones captured in 2001, 2007, 2009, 2010 and in 2024.

“I am so excited about this,” said West, who finished the two games with six hits in eight at bats (.750 batting average), four RBIs and three runs scored. “I was hoping we would go further than I have ever gone before and I completed that goal when we played Randleman (for the Eastern Regional championship). This has been incredible.”

West was a three-year performer for the Eagles, where she hit .254 as a freshman, .389 as a sophomore and .477 as a junior. She was also a member of the Eagles’ pitching rotation.

This year for SWR, she finishes with a .453 batting average (39-for-86), 16 runs scored, 40 RBIs, 10 doubles, 2 triples and tying for the team lead with four home runs.

“She has come in and fit with our culture,” SWR coach Toby Strider said after leading the team to a second state title.

“She never worried about where she was at or what she was doing. She is a great teammate, works hard every day and is a great encourager. She is a huge asset for sure.”

In Saturday’s series-clinching victory, she had an RBI single in the top of the first and scored a run, helping the Cougars to an early 3-0 lead. In her second at-bat, her line drive up the middle deflected off the pitcher’s wrist and caromed all the way to third for the only time she was retired. Singles in the fourth, which produced a run, and in the sixth gave her a second straight three-hit performance.

“I don’t think when I’m up there,” she said of her hitting philosophy.

In Game 1 on Friday, she hurled a complete game, earning her 10th win of the season. She allowed three runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out two.

“I tried to work more screwballs for the right-handed hitters,” she said. “I tried to work more in and down to force ground balls. For some of the taller swings, I tried to get them to pop up. My defense had me.”

At the plate, she had two singles and a double her first three times up, scoring twice and knocking in a run.

West said she was impressed with the SWR culture.

“Southwest has this team chemistry that I cannot explain, that I have never had with another team before,” West said. “Nobody I have ever played with has had the same impact as this team.”

West was certainly a player that had a very positive impact on the Cougars.