West Field softball cruises into 4A final eight with sweep of Sky View
Young Longhorns lean on each other to advance
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- West Field softball players Brylee Leatherwood (5) and Brinklee Hadley (13) high-five after scoring a run in a 4A second-round playoff series against Sky View on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Taylor.
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- West Field’s Kam Bell takes a cut at a pitch during a 4A second-round playoff series against Sky View on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Taylor.
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- West Field’s Brinklee Hadley winds up to pitch in a 4A second-round playoff series against Sky View on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Taylor.
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- West Field’s Ella Doxey looks to make a throw during a 4A second-round playoff series against Sky View on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Taylor.
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- West Field’s Ella Doxey motors home to score a run during a 4A second-round playoff series against Sky View on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Taylor.
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- West Field’s Ayzlee Sessions misses an attempt to catch a Sky View home run during a 4A second-round playoff series Friday, May 9, 2025, in Taylor.
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- West Field’s Brinklee Hadley slides into second base during a 4A second-round playoff series against Sky View on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Taylor.
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- West Field’s Rylee Andreasen runs the bases in a 4A second-round playoff series against Sky View on Friday, May 9, 2025, in Taylor.
TAYLOR — West Field right-handed pitcher Brinklee Hadley could have thrown Game 3 of the team’s 4A second-round “super regional” playoff series against Sky View if called upon.
But teammates Brylee Leatherwood, Kam Bell and Ellie Koford made sure that wasn’t necessary on Friday.
The talented Longhorn trio tallied nine RBIs between them and No. 3 West Field advanced to bracket play of the tournament by run-ruling the No. 14 Bobcats for a second straight game, this time 12-2 in five innings.
After pounding the Bobcats 17-2 on Thursday, the hometown hope was that their girls had more runs in their bats Friday, and they did.
Bell rang a three-run double in the bottom of the first inning and the Longhorns were stampeding again.
“I’m trying to get my pitch, trying to get on the board first,” Bell said. “Stay confident up at the plate no matter who they threw; if I had runners on base, score them.”
Two more runs in the second inning on a single by junior shortstop Leatherwood made it 6-1, negating a Sky View home run from sophomore catcher Brylee Andrus against Hadley.
“Home runs are going to happen; she’s a great hitter so there’s nothing I can do about it,” Hadley said. “I just have to come back and learn from it.”
Hadley induced eight fly balls to the outfield and three infield pop-ups among the 15 outs on Friday.
“I throw a lot of rise balls, so that’s why. Deep into my count I get them to see my changeup also,” Hadley said. “Try to put a lot of movement on it; keep them off balance.”
She also pitched the four-inning, run-rule win Thursday and tried to vary her approach Friday.
“They had faced me before, so I was trying to do what I could to spin the ball. I knew my defense would have my back and make good plays like they always do,” Hadley said. “I have amazing pitching coaches; they taught me the right way so I can go a lot of innings.”
The freshman scattered seven hits, didn’t walk a batter and struck out two, doing her best to blend into a school she doesn’t even attend.
“Gotta work hard at being a good teammate; doing what I can for my team has helped me a lot…and I have my own success too,” Hadley said.
Six runs in the third, where the Longhorns sent 12 batters to the dish, put any thoughts Sky View (12-20) had of coming back out of the question, making it 12-1.
Freshman catcher Koford had a two-run double and Leatherwood added another two-RBI single.
Leatherwood went 2 for 2 with two runs scored, a walk and four RBIs, while junior left fielder Ayzlee Sessions had three hits and scored three runs for West Field.
All position players scored at least one run and eight of nine had a hit as West Field rapped 13 hits for the game.
As a first-year school, the Longhorns have possibly exceeded expectations until you consider that it’s not the first rodeo for head coach Mandy Koford. She had great success at Roy and Fremont, and even coached an All-Star team to a Triple Crown World Series title this past summer.
“I love playing for Mandy, she’s an awesome coach. She’s always so positive — a top-flight coach,” Bell said. “It’s been an amazing first year. Everyone was probably thinking, ‘first year school, they’re not going to be the best’, but we’re proving them all wrong.”
The journey continues for West Field (17-4) who is into the double-elimination bracket set up to whittle the final eight teams down to two.
That begins at noon Tuesday when the Longhorns face No. 6 Cedar (24-5) at the Spanish Fork Sports Complex. Win or lose, West Field will play again at 2:30 p.m. that day. Bracket play concludes Wednesday, setting up the final two for a series at BYU.
“It’s been the biggest blessing because I’ve never been down there … so it will be the first time for me. I’m super excited,” Leatherwood said about advancing.
