Bullitt East High School achieved a significant milestone by securing their first-ever victory in the KHSAA Softball State Tournament. The Lady Chargers defeated Assumption High School with a decisive 5-0 win in the first round of the 2026 tournament, held at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington.

The game was highlighted by a stellar performance from Mackenzie Mingus, who pitched seven shutout innings, striking out seven batters and allowing only four hits. This strong defensive effort laid the foundation for Bullitt East’s success.

Key Plays and Scoring

The Lady Chargers took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Kinnley Murphy’s single to right field brought Alivia Cooper home, setting the score at 1-0. The team extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a series of strategic plays. Ryleigh Watrous singled to left field, allowing Allie Carter to score, followed by Katlyn McDonald’s single that brought June Pile home. Alivia Cooper capped off the inning with a single to right field, driving in both Watrous and McDonald, solidifying the 5-0 victory.

Head coach Bruce Pierce praised his team’s adaptability and determination, stating, “We’ve been saying this the entire season, we know who we are. We know what we have, right? Every team that we play is going to adjust. We have to adjust. And once we adjust, then we start to catch them. And that’s exactly what we do. It’s exactly what they did and we were able to put up a few more runs on the board.”

Looking ahead, Bullitt East is set to face Hazard High School in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 5 p.m., as they continue their quest in the state tournament.

Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.