Walker Valley’s late inning heroics secure first softball state title

BY JEFF CATE (TEAM FYN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR) *photo courtesy of Walker Valley softball*

Walker Valley senior Amy Benson said, “I kept telling my teammates to leave it all out on the field, and go out with a bang.” Mission accomplished as the bang from Blue Raider Softball Field in Murfreesboro was loud enough to be heard back home in Charleston. 

Walker Valley was participating in Spring Fling for the fifth time in school history and making their third trip to the championship round, coming up empty handed both times. The third time in the championship picture proved to be the charm. The Feisty Fillies looked like any thoroughbred seen at Churchill Downs, running the Kentucky Derby: start out fast, lose an early advantage, rally, and eventually take home the biggest trophy in the sport. The Lady Mustangs did just that on Friday afternoon with a resilient effort in a 10-8 victory over Green Hill in 8 innings.

Offensive onslaughts in the first inning continued in this game as Walker Valley raced out to a 4-0 in the top of the opening inning. Karly Blackwell, who got on base after a walk and over to second base on a wild pitch, got the scoring going when she scored on a Benson bunt. Alyssa Davenport played the short game in this game after hitting 2 home runs in the first 2 innings against Page on Thursday, laying down a bunt of her own to reach first, allowing Benson to cross the plate. Nessa Byers reached base on a walk before Davenport’s bunt, and Morgan Rice brought her home on a groundout. Ryann Presswood would do Davenport a solid in the next at-bat and bring her home on an RBI single.

Nessa Byers’ single to right field in the top of the fifth inning would extend the Walker Valley lead to 5-2, but Tennessee signee Avary Stockwell would launch a two run homer to center for Green Hill to cut the lead down to 5-4. The Lady Hawks would get a 3 spot in the bottom of the sixth thanks in part on an RBI triple and single to give Green Hill their first lead of the game, 7-5, with a chance to lock up another state championship in just three outs.

Autumn Lanclos and Brylie Davis led off the top of the seventh inning with a single and a double with no outs. Blackwell flied out to left field, then Benson drew a walk to load the bases, which brought Byers to the plate. She made the most of the at-bat with a single that scored pinch runner Anzleigh Battle and Davis to tie the game at 7-7.

“Every opportunity I get, I practice my hitting at home”, Byers said. “The more I practice, the more it builds up my confidence. My coaches also try to prepare us for every situation.” 

Green Hill would have a runner in scoring position in the second at-bat in the bottom portion of the last inning on a Keilyn Burns double to left field with 1 out, but the Lady Mustangs held and gave the crowd more postseason softball.

“I can’t say enough about the heart, the fight, and the love these girls showed today and all week”, Walker Valley coach Lauren Limburg said. “Their resilience and grit was incredible. We talk all the time about loving all of it and how grit comes from love.”

Presswood was hit by a pitch to begin the eighth inning, followed by a Madison Thomas single to center that moved pinch runner Addy Trew into scoring position. Thomas and Trew would move to second and third base, then Trew would score when Davis grounded into a fielder’s choice. Thomas would soon follow after Blackwell connected on a single to left field, giving Walker Valley a 9-7 lead. Benson would get a base hit in the next at-bat to load the bases with 1 out, bringing Byers to the box. The freshman would send a single of her own to left field, bringing home Davis to push the Lady Mustangs advantage to 10-7. Green Hill would get closer on a 2 out base hit that cut the Walker Valley advantage down to 10-8. Two of the five Feisty Fillies’ seniors, Presswood and Blackwell, would have a hand in the final out of their prep careers when Presswood’s final pitch as a Lady Mustang was popped up to centerfield, which was hauled in by Blackwell.

“What a legacy this team and this senior class have created”, Limburg continued. “They made Walker Valley Softball history today.”

Benson continued: “It means so much to me. Myself and the other seniors go way back to when we were 6 years old; playing together and ending it as state champions means so much to end it this way.” 

Walker Valley finishes the 2025 season with a record of 36-8; capturing the first state softball championship in the 24 year history of the program.

Follow Jeff on X at: https://x.com/TheJeffCate