The Lincoln-Way West softball team has had its share of success the past few years. 2025 saw the Warriors win a regional title for the second time in three years, and with North Carolina State commit Reese Rourke back for her senior season, the expectations remain high in 2026.

The season is still brand new, but they’re living up to those expectations so far.

Tuesday saw Lincoln-Way West visit Plainfield South looking to move to 4-0 on the year. It did exactly that and only needed five innings to do it, cruising past the Cougars 11-0.

The Warriors have been absolutely dominant to start this year. After a 12-7 win over Downers Grove South to start the year, Lincoln-Way West has now cruised past Joliet West (15-0), Plainfield North (9-0) and Plainfield South.

In addition to Rourke, Reese Cusack (Seton Hall) and Molly Finn (Valparaiso) have made winning a much simpler task for Lincoln-Way West.

Tuesday, however, Rourke didn’t even play. While Finn (2 for 3) and Cusack (3 for 3, five RBIs, HR) had typical great games, it was Abby Brueggmann (St. Xavier) who stepped up the most. She struck out eight while allowing only one hit with no walks in three innings from the circle while also going 3 for 3 at the plate.

“Our girls have worked really hard,” coach Heather Novack said. “They’ve been excited to get out here and get after it. In all areas they’ve really focused on being consistent and doing the little things right.

”We have a lot of girls who returned this season and they understand what this level of softball looks like, so they’ve come out prepared from the start."

Jess Noga came on in the fourth to relieve Brueggmann and recorded six consecutive outs. The Warriors had 13 hits as a team.

The scoring started early for Lincoln-Way West with Reese Forsythe scoring on an error the second at bat of the game. Cusack followed that up with a RBI single to score Holly Smith to make it 2-0 before the end of the inning.

After a scoreless second, the Warriors really got going in the third. Cusack’s RBI double scored Smith one at-bat before Finn’s single scored Cusack to double the lead. Finn scored during the next at-bat on a double by Kaylea Armstrong and Noga’s RBI double scored Armstrong shortly after. That made it 6-0.

Reegan Connolly led the fourth off with a triple and later scored thanks to a single by Brueggmann. Cusack followed that up with a three-run homer which scored Forsyth and Brueggmann to make it 10-0.

Hannah Borchert hit a solo homer to lead off the fifth to give the game its final score.

“Our team has done a really good job of adjusting from game to game,” Cusack said. “We all have a goal of locking in and just staying focused on the game and the game only each time out.”

Plainfield South (0-4) has had a brutal schedule to start the season. After a 3-2 loss to Coal City, they had to play Lincoln-Way East (12-0) and Morris (17-0). Still, coach Taylor Schwall saw some positive things from her group Tuesday afternoon.

“Our biggest thing today was to compete,” she said. “We’ve had a tough non-conference. Defensively we competed. Lincoln-Way West just put the ball where our players weren’t and that’s the goal of softball. Unfortunately we didn’t have it today hitting-wise, but I’m really proud of our defensive effort.”

Jackie Gracanin had the lone hit for the Cougars.

Plainfield South hosts Willowbrook Wednesday while Lincoln-Way West visits Naperville Central the same day.