It was just three years ago when Liberty’s softball team had a losing record, something the Hurricanes aren’t accustomed to, but after a patient rebuild, the Hurricanes are back in business with a 2024 season record of 13-2 as of May 2 and a recent 6-3 victory over city rival Freedom.

“We were 3-17, very young, lost players from COVID. Then, the team started to rebuild, and now they’re maturing and ready to go,” said Liberty coach Sam Carrodo. “Our seniors are incredible, and they’re leading this team, and that’s what we needed. But that transition took a few years, and we had to be patient, and let it naturally happen.”

Patience paid off again in the Battle of Bethlehem on May 2 at Northeast Little League Fields, evolving as a pitchers’ duel between Liberty’s Adelynn Smith and Freedom’s Alexis Acevedo.

“To catch up to Acevedo...She has a really, really good outside pitch,” said Carrodo, “so the girls had to wait a little bit, time that up, push their bodies toward that outside pitch, and once they did, we have a great hitting team, and it’s really hard to stop us once we get on a roll.”

The Hurricanes’ big sixth inning started with Smith’s 2-run homer to center field.

“I just wanted to make contact with the ball and get the girl on second in. I didn’t care if it was a home run or anything,” Smith said. “We were pumped up that we were keeping Freedom from hitting, and that carried into our at bats.”

Addison Sabo and Ariana Castillo had back-to-back base hits when Freedom coach Michele Laubach brought in Namelia Duro to pitch.

Leah Onia had a 2 RBI single to right field to make the score, 4-0.

Duro forced a pop-out, but Castillo scored on a wild pitch, and McKenna Beck’s RBI to left center field scored the Hurricanes’ sixth run.

Freedom left fielder Hannah Heidemann reached first base on an error to start the bottom of the seventh inning.

Duro was safe at first on a fielder’s choice, Landry Guman was hit by a pitch, and Maia D’Amico had an RBI single to left field for the Patriots’ first run.

Freedom scored two more runs on throwing errors by the Hurricanes until Smith forced a ground out to end the game.

“I was honestly throwing everything. They’re a really good hitting team,” Smith said. “This is so exciting. It’s a big rivalry, and it’s gonna help us carry our energy into the playoffs.”

A city rivalry rematch will have been played on May 7, past Press deadlines, at DeSales University.

“I just said to the coaches, whoever ended up on the losing end, it was still a great game to watch, to coach, and I think both teams played fantastic. It just took the blink of an eye for that game to turn around,” said Carrodo. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of these girls and our coaching staff for everything they’ve been doing this year.”

EPC Softball Standings

North

DIV EPC OVR

Stroudsburg 9-0 11-4 14-4

Pleasant Valley 7-2 10-5 12-5

ES South 6-3 7-8 7-11

PM East 4-6 6-10 7-12

PM West 1-8 1-14 2-14

ES North 1-9 2-14 3-15

East

Liberty 6-2 12-2 15-3

Freedom 5-3 11-3 15-3

Nazareth 5-3 11-3 15-3

Becahi 5-3 9-5 10-6

Easton 4-5 9-6 11-7

Dieruff 0-9 2-13 2-16

West

Emmaus 8-1 2-3 16-3

Parkland 7-2 12-3 14-5

Northampton 5-4 8-7 11-8

Whitehall 5-4 8-7 10-9

CCHS 2-7 3-12 5-14

Allen 0-9 0-15 1-17