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NP-Liberty softball reaches second round

MANSFIELD — After looking at just the first pitch she saw in the fourth inning, North Penn-Liberty’s Carmen Bates took the next pitch and drilled a hard line drive right into center field. Once it got past Loyalsock’s right fielder, Bates probably knew she could turn it into an extra base hit and she kept running, turning second and headed toward third base.

Bates safely reached third, but more importantly, her lone hit on Tuesday afternoon was a bases-clearing, three-RBI triple that helped spark the Mounties’ in the bottom of the fourth.

Liberty only collected three hits that inning, but did damage thanks to a few errors and three walks as well en route to a seven-run inning that gave Liberty a big lead.

The Lancers rallied late in the game, but Liberty held on for a 14-9 win in the District 4 Class AAA quarterfinals.

Liberty (16-4) is into the district semifinals against Wellsboro on Thursday in what will be the Mounties’ second-ever appearance in the second round. It also ties the Mounties with the most wins in program history.

The Lancers (11-8) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a two-RBI triple by Rhiallie Jessell in the first inning. Liberty though scored one in the bottom of the first inning and then took the lead thanks to a three-run second inning.

“They’re used to coming back. Sometimes the top of the order hits, sometimes the bottom of the order hits, like you said tonight everybody scattered (hits) all up and down,” Liberty coach Lynn Grinnell said. “We’re just unaccustomed to the errors, but then again at this level, the teams are hitting the ball hard. We’re not expecting our pitcher to strike them out, we just expect her to keep it in play.”

Errors did play a factor in the game, as Loyalsock committed six and Liberty had four.

Loyalsock out-hit Liberty, 13-12, but the Mounties defensively did a solid job of not allowing majority of Loyalsock’s lineup to scatter hits.

Katie Welker, Sam Stopper and Rhiallie Jessell combined to go 10 for 14. The rest of the Lancers’ lineup combined for just three hits, all of which were singles.

“When you get toward the district play, there’s less strikeouts because they’re all there to hit,” Liberty pitcher Savanah Doney said. “So you just got to force the outs and let your teammates get them.”

Stopper led Loyalsock with two triples and a double while Jessell was a perfect 4 for 4 with five RBIs and a triple. Welker had two singles, as did Elizabeth Haller.

The fourth inning proved to be the difference in the game. After trailing by just one run entering the fourth, 4-3, Liberty proceeded to make it an 11-3 lead.

The Lancers battled and scored twice in the fifth and four in the sixth to make it a four-run deficit. Loyalsock couldn’t get any rally attempt going in the seventh however, as Doney forced a three up, three down inning.

“We gave them too many outs. Normally we’re a better defensive team that that. You try to limit the better teams ot three outs and unfortunately, we gave them too many outs that inning and it cost us,” Loyalsock coach Tom O’Malley said. “We dug ourselves a hole there and unfortunately couldn’t get out of it.”

“I think we got to the pitcher a little bit, she got a little bit nervous. She had a couple bad pitches in there,” Grinnell said. “This is one of the toughest teams that they faced hitting the ball because I know they haven’t given up that many hits all season long.”

Doney led Liberty offensively, going 4 for 4 with two doubles and three RBIs and Brooke Harvey went 3 for 5.

The Lancers strung together four straight hits in the top of the sixth inning to help spark a bit of a rally as the Lancers went through 10 batters.

In the bottom of the sixth, Liberty answered Loyalsock with a run of its own thanks to a sac fly by Mariah Kshir that brought in Emily Strange, who led the inning off with a single.

Loyalsock 201 024 0 — 9 13 6

Liberty 130 721 x — 14 12 4

Juliana Cruz and Rhiallie Jessell. Savanah Doney and Jill Berguson. W: Doney. L: Cruz.

Top Loyalsock hitters: Rhiallie Jessell 4-4, 3B, 5 RBIs; Sam Stopper 4-5, 2 3B, 2B, 4 runs; Katie Welker 2-5, 2 runs; Elizabeth Haller 2-4, RBI, 2 runs; Bryssa Dunkleberger 1-1, RBI. Top Liberty hitters: Carmen Bates 3B, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Brooke Harvey 3-5, RBI, 3 runs; Savanah Doney 4-4, 2 2B, 3 RBIs, run; Abby Heatly 1-4, run; Emily Stranger 1-3, BB, 3 runs; Jill Berguson 1-4, RBI; Mariah Kshir 2 RBIs, run.

Records: Liberty (16-4), Loyalsock (11-8). Next game: Liberty vs. Wellsboro in District 4 Class AAA semifinals, Thursday.

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