Jeff Edgington

For West Valley Preps

Earlier this season Matthew Liberatore showed us he's human, somewhat at least, in a 2-1 home defeat to Gilbert Perry.

Fast-forward nearly two months he wasn't bound to let it happen again. Not with their season on the brink of elimination. Not in his final performance on his home field.

Liberatore settled in after a run allowed in the first to strike out nine, scatter four hits, and keep the Pumas lineup at bay in a 9-4 6A state tournament first round victory.

"Matt did a great job once he got into a few jams, He's a competitor and went to work. He changed speeds pretty well and kept them guessing. His approach wasn't too different this time around facing the same lineup," added Mountain Ridge coach Artie Cox.

Tuesday #5 Mountain Ridge (18-9-1) will continue the quest back to the state title game at Tempe Diablo Stadium - the site of the 2016 game. The second round game against #4 Mesa Red Mountain (19-9) starts at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Red Mountain has six kids inked to play college ball after their senior season ends. It'll be a tough test for Cox's group

"It was a must win scenario obviously so I like our chances better knowing we have Matt available Thursday. Perry's a well coached team they are very fundamentally sound. We know everyone from here on out is also," Cox said.

Perry starter Nolan Gates kept the Mountain Lions grounded the first time through the order holding them to just two hits, But it was the second time around that did him in.

The spark started in the bottom of the third for the Mountain Lions. A single for Luke Blachut, a hit by pitch by Jared Kampf and Jason Harayada walk (complimented by a balk call to plate one) set up a Travis Warriner sacrifice fly.

That tied it at 2 and would provide all the momentum swing the host needed. Preston Godfrey gave Liberatore a bigger cushion on a three-run shot to right field. After a five-run three hit frame, the lefty top 10 prospect in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft could breathe easier.

Liberatore touched 92 in the fourth inning and got a shutdown 1-2-3 effort. His offense picked up two more in the fourth and another pair in the fifth each. That would be the difference in this first round elimination game.

"I felt good. If they're going to beat me it's on my best stuff. I'm not going to change anything up. So hats off to that kid who hit it out (Max Johansen) that didn't change my approach. I trust my defense and my stuff," Liberatore said.

The offense got production from top to bottom on the afternoon as it has throughout this season. Kampf had two runs batted in (to put them up 7-2 in the fourth) and Harayda got on base five out of eight plate appearances. Senior third-baseman Blachut went 3-3 in the eight-spot to keep the pressure on.