Freedom’s softball team opened the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Tournament with a 15-9 quarterfinal victory over Stroudsburg on May 11 at Freedom before a 5-3 semifinal loss to Nazareth on May 15 at Patriot’s Park in Allentown.

In the semifinal, Nazareth took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but Freedom came back to tie, 3-3, in the bottom of the third.

Landry Guman singled to right field and stole second base, Maia D’Amico’s line drive to right field scored Guman, and Brianna Cole beat the throw to first on her infield hit.

Madison Glick had a hard hit to center, scoring D’Amico, Daniela Guzzo’s line drive to right field loaded the bases, and Kate Miller’s RBI was the Patriots’ third run.

Alexis Acevedo pitched a one, two, three inning in the top of the fourth for the Pates, and in the bottom of the inning, Acevedo reached first base when Nazareth’s Lily Moretti misplayed a fly ball in left field, and Maddie Cooper doubled just inside the left field line.

But Nazareth relief pitcher Avery Kauffman struck out Freedom’s next three batters to end the threat.

“It was the top of our order. Third and second with no outs,” said Freedom coach Michele Laubach. “One, two, three, that’s disappointing. We had our opportunities, and we just didn’t come through on those.”

The Blue Eagles tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning after Acevedo forced two quick outs.

“That’s our pitch point every time,” Laubach said. “Fifth inning, two outs, and give up a run.”

Namelia Duro then entered the game to relieve Acevedo and forced a ground out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, Cooper led off with a bunt single that stopped dead in front of home plate, and D’Amico was safe at first base on a fielder’s choice, but Cole’s fly out to center, and Glick’s strikeout ended the game.

“It’s a disappointing loss, but you know, credit to them and their intensity and the way they hit the ball,” said Laubach of Nazareth. “We just missed those opportunities. Twice, the top of our order didn’t come through, and that’s not something you’d expect from the top three hitters.”