Class of 2026 pitcher Layla Ogden enters the 2026 high school softball season as the face of Kentucky’s top-ranked program and the state’s most accomplished returning player.

Layla been named MaxPreps Kentucky Preseason Player of the Year, while the South Warren (Bowling Green, Ky.) Lady Spartans open the spring ranked No. 1 in the state following a dominant 34–4 record in 2025.

A Western Kentucky University signee, the senior is widely regarded as one of the Commonwealth’s elite two-way players. During summer club play, she competes for the in-state Louisville Sluggers coached by Jim Huecker and Scott Norwood.

In the fall, Layla was ranked No. 61 in the 2027 HOT 100 player rankings.

Last summer, the Kentucky Class 3A Player of the Year in high school showed she can be equally impressive in travel ball play.

One example last summer was her dominant showing at the 2025 Scenic City Summer Top 25 Classic, held June 19–22, 2025, in Dalton & Rocky Face, Ga.

Competing on the Louisville Lady Sluggers 16U team, Layla delivered a four-day hitting surge that turned heads across the national travel circuit as she smacked 11 home runs with 23 RBIs to power the Lady Sluggers to a perfect 9–0 record and the 2025 16U Scenic City Summer Championship.

Last season, Layla posted a 12–1 record with a 1.10 ERA and 105 strikeouts in the circle while hitting .530 with 24 home runs — tied for the most in Kentucky — and driving in a state-leading 75 RBIs.

Let us repeat that again: 24 home runs and 75 RBIs in 38 games—an amazing average of two runs knocked in per game!

Six Years in Varsity

Laylas rise has been rare and historic.

She joined the South Warren High varsity roster as a 7th grader in the Spring of 2021, beginning a six-year varsity career competing at Kentucky’s highest level.

During her 7th- and 8th-grade seasons (2021–22), Layla logged meaningful innings in the circle for a championship-caliber program, gaining postseason experience and showing poise beyond her years.

2023 – Freshman Season

By 2023, the two-way standout had transitioned into a consistent varsity role as both a pitcher and middle-of-the-order hitter for a South Warren team that finished 39–4 and ranked among the top programs in Kentucky.

As a freshman, she appeared in 17 games, making 11 starts, and logged 70.1 innings in the circle.

Ogden posted a 12–2 record with a 1.49 ERA, allowing just 50 hits and 15 earned runs while striking out 90 batters against 15 walks.

Her efficiency and command in high-leverage situations helped solidify her role within a deep pitching staff and confirmed her emergence as one of the program’s foundational arms.

2024 – Sophomore Season

Layla delivered a dominant sophomore campaign that firmly established her as one of the premier two-way players in Kentucky.

Pitching in 101 innings, she finished the season 20–0, posting a 1.11 ERA while striking out 144 batters and anchoring South Warren’s postseason run.

At the plate, Layla added 16 home runs and 65 RBIs, providing consistent middle-of-the-order power.

Her performance earned her MVP honors at both the 14th District Tournament and the 4th Region Tournament, along with selection to the KHSAA All-State Tournament Team, marking a breakout year on both the state and regional levels.

2025 – Junior Season

The two-way talent followed her breakout year with one of the most decorated junior seasons in Kentucky softball history.

In the circle, she appeared in 17 games, making 11 starts, and posted a 12–1 record with a 1.10 ERA, striking out 105 batters while continuing to demonstrate elite command and efficiency against top competition.

Offensively, Layla delivered historic power production, hitting .530 with 24 home runs, tying the Kentucky single-season record, and ranking No. 9 nationally in home runs during the Spring 2025 high school season.

She also drove in a state best 75 RBIs, the fourth-most in Kentucky single-season history.

Her season earned her a slew of honors including NFCA High School All-America 2^nd Team honors, NFCA Region VIII 1^st Team (Utility/Pitcher) recognition, and Class 3A Kentucky Player of the Year distinction, while standing as the only Kentucky player selected to the 2025 NFCA All-America teams.

Two weeks before Christmas two months ago, Layla signed with Western Kentucky University on Dec. 10, 2025.

Here a closer look at Layla’s record-setting prep career so far prior to her senior campaign:

Career Totals (Through Junior Year)

Pitching

• 57–3 record
• ~1.07 ERA
• 495 strikeouts / 79 walks
• 346 innings pitched
• 2 perfect games

Hitting

• 51 home runs
• 140+ RBIs (2024–25 combined)
• Middle-of-the-order run producer

Leadership & Senior Outlook (2026)

Off the field, the Kentucky senior is a member of South Warren’s Gifted & Talented Leadership Program and a leader within the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, mentoring the school’s middle school softball program.

As she enters her senior season, Layla does so as the MaxPreps Kentucky Preseason Player of the Year, leading a South Warren team ranked No. 1 statewide.

With six varsity seasons, sustained postseason success, and elite production on both sides of the ball, the athlete’s career ranks among the most accomplished in South Warren—and even Kentucky—history.

—Mark Allen/Line Drive contributing writer