“Angel in the Outfield:” Kentucky Senior Kyndal Tinnell & Her Butler (Ky.) High Teammates Win State Title in Honor of Their Fallen Schoolmate

On Father’s Day, June 20, 2021, senior third baseman Kyndal Tinnell of Butler (Louisville, Kentucky) High lived every softball player’s dream when she smacked a grand slam to help lead her Bearettes team to a 13-2 state championship win.

She was selected as the 2021 State Softball Tournament MVP as well as earning 1^st Team 3A All-State honors.

Here’s the decisive blow in the state title win:

Love all y’all girls and ending high school with a State Title is a moment I’ll never forget #LLM🌻💛 @ExtraInningSB @BBOS_Nation @StriveSoftball @topgun_skim @TGA_Turner @academy_smash @BTHS_Softball https://t.co/3ONiUobsqJ

— Kyndal Tinnell “KT” (@KyndalTinnell) June 21, 2021

But the standout infielder and her teammates had more than just softball on their minds when they won the state trophy—they were carrying with them the loss and love of a classmate, Madelynn Troutt, who was Kendal’s best friend.

Madelynn was killed in a crash on March 1 of this year and the loss of the vibrant cheerleader stunned everyone, none more so than Kyndal.

“She went out and put her heart and soul into the game (softball) to honor her friend,” explains the athlete’s mother, Jacqueline Hull. “She wanted to win state so bad to honor Madelynn.”

The inspired and determined hitter went on a tear in the state playoffs having what her mother called “the best four games of her life… I can’t even put into words her fairy tale ending, as Kyndal called it.”

In the Kentucky playoffs, the senior smacked three home runs, drove in 14 RBIs (in four games, mind you) and batted .786.

The inspired Bearettes won their first school softball state title and Madelynn was with them every step of the way.

The team wore sunflower bows to honor her (sunflowers were Madelyn’s favorite flower) and on the back of their helmets had the sunflower image along with the acronym “LLM” which stood for “Live Like Madelynn.”

And Kyndal honored her late friend in another way off the field—walking through her Butler graduation ceremonies, she wore Madelynn’s cap and gown.

And below, in Kyndal’s beautifully written words, is a loving tribute to her friend…

*****

Our Angel in the Outfield

Softball has been my life since I was barely six-years-old. I have loved everything about it, and I’m so blessed to have been able to live out a dream that I’ve had for so many years.

We’ve all gone through tough times and for me, in 2015 I had a horrific injury during a softball game (broken leg). After many surgeries, I was determined to get back out there and play. Some would say, “she’ll never play again” or “she won’t be good enough but, I never gave up even when I wanted to.

A very hard time for me but, I did it.

However, I recently went through an even more tough, heartbreaking time this year.

On March 1st my beautiful, amazing friend, Madelynn Troutt, was hit and killed in a head on collision. It’s hard even typing this because I wish it were a bad dream.

“Mad” as she liked to be called (never Maddy!) was a ray of sunshine to everyone. She had the most infectious smile that, even if you were in a bad mood, she’d be having you laughing in seconds.

I miss her every second of every day and would give anything to hear her voice or to just give her the biggest hug.

Losing Mad definitely affected our team even though she was definitely not a softball player! I had her try and swing a bat one time and, well, this would be why she was an amazing cheerleader versus being a softball player!

She was loved so much by our softball team and, I’ll be honest, it was tough for all of us.

This is when decided that we were going to make the season all about Mad and do whatever it took to make it the best we possibly could.

We all wore sunflower bows to every single game because her favorite color was yellow and she loved sunflowers. A parent also made decals for our helmets that said #LLM meaning “Live Like Madelynn.”

We knew she was with us at every single game and definitely in our hearts.

Our Butler High School softball team had never won a state title in the past and this is why I call ours a “fairytale ending” because we won state.

We came together as a family and played with our hearts and I know it’s a season we will never forget.

I can’t even begin to put into words how that moment felt, so many tears were shed but lots of smiles as well. We had a “yellow out” and to look up in the stands seeing so much yellow is one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.

Mad’s parents drove the almost 2-hour drive from Louisville to Lexington to cheer us on which made it even more special. I am forever grateful for their support and I pray we made them proud in honoring their beautiful angel.

We even had a yellow butterfly flying over the field and by our dugout. I promise I can’t make this up. Every time I went up to bat, I knew she was there with me.

What I’ve learned most through all of this is to never take anything for granted, to live in the moment and love everyone just as Mad did. Make someone smile even if they are having a bad day.

I know I will carry her with me in everything I do. I’ll continue to love her with all my heart.

So, Madelynn Troutt, I’ll always remember that in my darkest times, I will stand tall and face the Sun. Thank you, Mad, for helping me open my own eyes and learn to appreciate everyone and everything because none of us are promised tomorrow.

Forever, my Angel in the Outfield…

Kyndal Tinnell