Richard Smith

West Valley Preps

Usually a high school sports season, even a career, ends suddenly - too fast for the athlete to try and save it.

Wednesday afternoon was a rare scenario for Liberty softball, who entered its final game of the regular season ranked #24 in 5A. The top 24 teams in the conference get into the postseason, with teams 9 through 24 set to compete in play-in game a week from now.

The Lions went into senior night knowing the only way to keep playing was to beat #9 Willow Canyon - a team that drilled them 12-2 five days ago.

Wednesday, Liberty fell behind 6-3 in the fourth inning. The home team responded with seven runs in the bottom of the fourth and held on for a 11-8 upset that should give them at least another week together.

"Our main goal was to come together and we were straight up with them. We said, 'If we win tonight, we're probably going to playoffs. If we don't, the season's probably done.' They came out and played together. That's all we've been asking for. We're hoping that they see that this is what they can do, because once the playoffs start, it doesn't matter what your record was or how many times you got run-ruled," Liberty coach Kara Holtorf said.

After six losses in seven games, Liberty (10-13 overall, 7-11 regular season) needed its lineup to be at its best. All nine were dialed in, and seven different Lions drove in a run.

Junior infielder Ashleigh Perkins led the way, going 3-for-3 with RBIs in the first and fifth innings.

"Today we were focused and knew it could be the seniors' last game. We couldn't let them go out with this loss," Perkins said. "They run-ruled us last time, and we were really focused on hitting everyone in. We kept running hard, on errors and hits."

Willow Canyon came in with a short turnaround following a 15-11 loss against Surprise rival Shadow Ridge in a game that started at 6 p.m. Tuesday and lasted until late at night.

After falling behind because of first-inning RBIs by Perkins and sophomore Madyson Devers, the Wildcats quickly struck back in the second. Senior Brooke Windahl's ground ball out with the bases loaded allowed for a 2-2 tie.

Devers hit an RBI double in the bottom half of the third to break the tie.

Then, Willow Canyon (16-11-1, 13-5)  went to work with two outs in the fourth. Senior Jamie Maddoux reached base on a bad-hop single, and sophomores MacKenzie Anspach and Mo Foster followed with singles to the same spot in fifth.

Junior Andraya Rhinehart unloaded the bases on a 2 RBI single - again to left. Junior Carrigan Foster brought another run home and an error built the visitors' lead to 6-3.

"Any time you play someone on their senior night, anything can happen. Their backs were against the wall and they played good. We saw them earlier this season and they beat us, so we knew they were capable," Willow Canyon coach Donnie Tizzano said. "We came out a little bit flat but the girls battled. We scored in just about every inning. We had some good at bats and their defense took away some hits. You've got to give it to them."

Willow Canyon's Makayla Gliori fields a ground ball for an out against Liberty on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at Liberty High School in Peoria. [Jacob Stanek/West Valley Preps][/caption]With one out in the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Tatum Chestnut opened the floodgates with an RBI single. Back-to-back Wildcat errors allowed two more Lions to score.

Seniors Rebecca Woolf, Kiersten Milburn and Mia Leal added RBI singles in the big inning.

Leal now had a four-run lead to protect in the circle. Windahl's bloop single and senior Reese Morales crushed a double to the left field corner.

But with the score now 10-7. Leal escaped the fifth with no further damage.

Chestnut ended a Willow Canyon threat in the sixth from her position in center and laying out to make a diving catch.

"Our pitchers are going to make our defense work but our defense is going to sacrifice themselves for them. Maddy sacrificed her body on that one," Holtorf said.

Perkins attempted a bunt with sophomore pinch runner Logan Beasley at third base in the fifth. Wildcat players followed the bunt down the first base line hoping it would go foul. It did not, and while they were watching the ball home plate was uncovered Beasley scored easily.

"That was the first time I've seen something like that happen. I was just trying to get to first base," Perkins said.

Leal then held on to finish the complete game and the win.

"The nerves  are up and everything's on the line. When I came out there in the last inning, I said, 'They're chasing us. All you have to do is give your defense a ball they can play and they're going to back you up.' She pitched a really good game and she also came out hitting," Holtorf said.

Willow Canyon had opportunities in the final two innings, with four base runners. But the visitors only scored one, on junior Mashayla Beltran's sacrifice fly.

Tizzano was sanguine afterward, as even with a win, it was unlikely that his team could have moved past either Buckeye Verrado or Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge and claimed a top eight spot - along with the bye and first round home game that come with that ranking.

"If you're ever going to lose a game, this was the one you want to lose. You're sitting in the 9 spot and you're probably not going to move up to 8 with a win, you're probably not going back to 11. It lets us know anyone can beat us and that we have a couple things to work on," Tizzano said. "For the girls to battle back though, shows were ready for the playoffs."

Both coaches said playing in the Northwest Region is excellent preparation for the playoffs. Centennial and Shadow Ridge have earned spots in the top eight of 5A.

Willow Canyon split with all three of its primary region foes. This was the best opponent Liberty has beaten and gives the team confidence - since they will not see a better foe in the play-in round - though they could face the Wildcats again.

"I'm ecstatic for them. After the game they were thinking they should be playing for the seniors every day. Today they figured it out. We're going to playoffs and if they figured it out now, we're going to have a great postseason. That's all you can ask for," Holtorf said.

Liberty's Mia Leal throws a pitch against Willow Canyon on Wednesday at Liberty High School in Peoria. [Jacob Stanek/West Valley Preps][/caption]