PICKERINGTON – Trailing 4-0 heading to the top of the sixth inning against top-seeded Fairbanks, the Liberty Union softball team seemed to not have an answer, but it never wavered.
The Lions kept fighting, and once they started hitting, the floodgates opened.
The No. 3 seed Lions scored six runs in the sixth inning and added three insurance runs in the seventh to rally past the stunned Panthers in a 9-5 Central District Division III district championship win on Saturday at Pickerington Central.
“The first five innings, the Fairbanks pitcher was bringing it, and we just had to weather the storm, and I said after they went up 4-0, I told them to just get me one in the top of the sixth,” Liberty Union coach Shaun Hochradel said. “If you get one, things could start breaking open, and they went out and got six. Fifteen girls have bought in and believed. We talk about adversity all the time. We’ve faced it, and they answered the call.”
Liberty Union (20-6) advances to the Sweet 16 and will face Carlisle in a regional semifinal at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Centerville High School. Saturday’s win was the Lions’ first district title since 2011.
The sixth-inning, six-run explosion was highlighted by two-run doubles from Suzie Shultz and Brooklyn Brockman. The Lions scored three runs in the seventh inning on a wild pitch, a passed ball and an RBI single from Emilyn Kanet.
Shultz picked up the win in the circle and finished with seven strikeouts.
“I was a little disappointed because I wasn’t pitching my best, and I was holding onto things too much,” Shultz said. “Then I gave up the home run, which wasn’t fun, but my team had my back. Once we took the lead, it made a big difference because there was less pressure, and it gave us a little more wiggle room.”
Hochradel said playing in the Mid-State League-Buckeye Division prepared the Lions. The MSL-Buckeye was especially competitive this season as five of the eight teams were playing in district title games, with three of them winning.
“We told our players when they got off the bus, they were built for this because we play in a really tough league, and it prepares you for games like this,” Hochradel said.
Jonathan Alder 5, Bloom-Carroll 2
The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the second inning and hung tough the rest of the way against the No. 2 seed Pioneers but were unable to finish things off during Saturday’s Division II district final at Pickerington Central.
The Bulldogs (17-12) scored two runs in the top of the second inning with two outs. Hayden Hubner reached on an error, then Allie Martin doubled to put runners at second and third. Hubner scored on a wild pitch, and Rachel Graves singled home Martin.
The Pioneers tied it up at 2-2 in the bottom of third inning, and it stayed that way until Jonathan Alder (21-4) plated three runs in the sixth inning, which was highlighted by a two-run home run from Riley Magginis.
Maddi Walters started in the circle and held the Pioneers to two runs. Freshman Emma Brandt pitched in relief and took the loss. Martin and Madelyn Gates led the Bulldogs with two hits each.
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @twil2323.
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