Liberty County High School’s softball team earned its first region win on the road Friday, defeating the Burke County Lady Bears 12-4 in five innings. With the
victory, the Lady Panthers are 1-2 in Region 3-AAA and 4-6 overall.

Lady Panther coach Jerome Standard said the game afforded him the opportunity to play every girl on the roster.

"Kane Gordon even pitched her first varsity game for one inning," he said. "The girls who did not have much experience had the opportunity to get a chance because of the lead position we put ourselves in."

The coach said the softball train is back on track for now and, if the Panthers continue to play the way they did at Burke, they should be in contention for a better playoff spot.

Standard said his squad’s ability to wait on the pitch is key. Initially, he said the Bears’ pitcher had his batters off balance. But once they began to wait patiently for the ball, the players brought in runs.

"I think everybody in the lineup had a base hit," he said.

The coach said it’s now crunch time and from here out, every win is crucial for the playoffs. Losses mean the Lady Panthers face top-ranked teams early on, and a few victories could put them in a better position.

The Liberty girls play Baldwin at home at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Standard said the game is a must-win to keep up the players’ morale.