Liberty’s softball team made the most of its last-chance seventh inning to come from three runs behind Whitehall to top the Zephyrs, 6-5, on March 20 at Whitehall.

“In the beginning of the game, we were hitting the ball hard but right at people. They were getting some hits that were just dropping over the top, and that’s frustrating,” said Liberty coach Sam Carrodo. “I could tell we were in our heads a little bit. We were pushing too hard, we really wanted to make something happen, and it wasn’t happening, so I tried to keep them up and happy. Then the fire lit, and that’s when we took off.”

Down 5-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Liberty’s Addison Sabo hit a 2-out, 2-run home run after Ava Tomac walked and stole second base.

Addy Smith singled, and Leah Onia’s 2-run homer to center field was the ultimate game winner.

“I really just didn’t want to be the last out at that point. That’s what was driving it,” said Onia, who struggled at the plate most of the day. “I knew I had to relax. That’s been my issue all day. I was just looking for a good, hard hit. It was a weight lifted off my shoulders. I’ve just been looking for the one hit that starts my season, and I feel like I’m set for the rest of the season.”

Whitehall led, 4-0, after four innings, but Liberty shortstop Sophia Rivera’s double to center field hit the tip of Paige Tacker’s glove and fell for two runs.

“We just needed one run to get it started and everybody would follow,” Rivera said. “At first I was like, oh, that’s over, and then I was like, no, she’s gonna catch it, but then it ended up being dropped. Once we realized that little hits will let us score, that’s what started it.”

Whitehall scored its fifth run in the sixth inning on Josie Shultz’s RBI single that dropped behind second base, scoring Alyssa Dunbar, who hit a double to the left field corner.

“We could’ve just given up, especially when Whitehall scored that fifth run, but we kept going after it and came back with two big bombs, so I was very pleased, very pleased,” Carrodo said. “”It shows the core of the team that we can fight and come back and win.”

Liberty’s Abbie Benner pitched six innings, and Smith pitched the bottom of the seventh.

Morgan Laub was in the circle for Whitehall.

Also last Thursday, Freedom shut out Parkland, 3-0.

Namelia Duro was the winning pitcher.

Daniela Guzzo went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI for the Pates.