High School

Liberty Creek's Kaylor West: From Perfect Game to College Commitment at Western Kentucky

Tennessee State champion and elite 2026 pitching prospect aims to defend title with Liberty Creek

Maren Angus-Coombs

Kaylor West, second right, celebrates with her teammates after throwing a perfect game against Huntingdon in the Class AA State Softball Championship game at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Friday, May 24, 2024.
Kaylor West, second right, celebrates with her teammates after throwing a perfect game against Huntingdon in the Class AA State Softball Championship game at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Friday, May 24, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

The last time Liberty Creek's Kaylor West pitched for the Wolves, she led them to a Tennessee Class AA State Championship in the most perfect way.

West pitched a perfect game marking the fifth in TSSAA softball state tournament history and the first since 2016, securing Liberty Creek its first championship in only its second season.

“(A perfect game) is rare, but Kaylor West is rare,” Liberty Creek head coach Kelsey 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.”  

From there, she spent her summer pitching for Fury Platinum and impressing college coaches week in and week out. She had visits with Power 4 programs, and phone calls with others and ultimately decided that Western Kentucky was the right fit.

Committing to a mid-major program close to home is no reason to leave a sensation like West off the Top 100 for the class of 2026. She has proven herself worthy of respect if one does a little research.

After an injury cut her freshman season short, West turned into one of the state's best pitchers. Her accuracy, spin and speed led her to 20 wins, four saves, and more than 200 strikeouts in her first full season of high school softball. She also saw her velocity top out around 68 mph.

“For her age, she’s one of the most accurate kids that I have,” Cartwright said. “Almost to the fact that I have to pitch-call to make her throw balls because she’s so accurate.”

West missed all but one game during her freshman season due to a broken bone in her knee.

The injury kept her out for the rest of the spring and several months beyond, forcing her to miss summer travel ball and limiting her to a pitch count in the fall.

Cartwright brings college-level experience from her playing days at Auburn and Lipscomb, along with a coaching stint at Belmont. She noted that last season, West not only showcased the talent needed to succeed but also the competitive mindset to thrive in high-pressure situations.

West's skill set is particularly appealing to college programs. According to Cartwright, the game is shifting toward pitchers who can effectively use a top-spinning drop ball both in the zone and as a chase pitch. West’s drop ball maintains the same velocity as her rise ball before breaking late, making it difficult for hitters to square up and often resulting in weak contact.

“I feel like rise-ball pitchers are really effective, too, but they’re more likely to get hit because they’re higher in the zone,” West said. “I feel like I would help less home runs be hit and (put) more outs on the ground.”

Her performance in the state championship is proof that her drop ball keeps hitters off balance. In that game, she finished with five strikeouts and forced 12 groundouts. Only one ball reached the outfield.

The 5-foot-11 right-hander has the work ethic and drive to defend Liberty Creek's title. She has two years left with the Wolves and has room for improvement.

West and the rest of the Wolves begin their quest to defend the title on March 4 against Wilson Central.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. In addition to High School on SI, she contributes to Huskers on SI, Dodgers on SI, Padres on SI, and Angels on SI.

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