With Region 2A-AAAA games beginning this week, the Liberty Lady Panthers spent the weekend playing in the Battle of the ’Boro softball tournament to hone their skills and improve their game.
They ended up playing their crosstown rival, Bradwell Institute, in the championship game and finished second in the tournament’s bronze division.
“We played decent on Friday,” coach Jerome Standard said.
On Friday evening, the Lady Panthers fell, 10-1, to Screven County. Taylor Anderson gave the Liberty girls their only run when she raced home on a wild pitch. Victoria Anthony and Ashley Desbiens both singled, while Brittany Desbiens and Anderson reached on errors.
Lady Panther Lori Harden took the loss. She allowed seven hits and struck out one batter.
Liberty then faced Savannah Christian, currently ranked No. 3 in Class A, and the Red Raiders won, 6-2. In that game, Gabriella Anthony hit a single and her sister, Victoria, reached on an error and drove in two runs. Gabriella Anthony and Kailey Holiday scored for Liberty.
Victoria Anthony pitched for Liberty County. She walked two, struck out two and scattered three hits over five innings.
In game three, the Lady Panthers defeated Portal, 24-0, in one inning and Harden got the win. Morgan Crowley tripled and drove in four runs to lead the Lady Panthers at the plate. Taylor Anderson had two hits and three RBIs.
Harden and Ashley Desbiens had two RBIs, while Victoria Anthony, Diamone Johnson, Gabriella Anthony, Tiara Howard and Brittany Desbiens all drove in a run.
“Portal is a pretty young team,” Standard said.
The win moved Liberty into the bronze division round-robin play, where it put together an 8-1 win over East Laurens.
Harden got the win, scattering six hits and striking out four. At the plate, she had two hits and two RBIs.
Crowley had two hits and an RBI, Brittany Desbiens singled three times, Johnson doubled and drove in a run, Victoria Anthony reached on an error and drove in a run, and both Howard and Johnson added an RBI.
Liberty then faced Bradwell in the championship game. The game was cut short due to a lack of time. After four innings, the Lady Tigers emerged as the champions, winning 8-4.
“It was an extremely disappointing game in that we only got to play four innings in a championship game,” Standard said. “They had time limits on every game but typically in a championship game they would let you play the full seven. But overall, we played well defensively and we hit really well. We are young behind the plate and on the mound but we are getting better.”
Gabriella Anthony doubled and drove in two runs to lead Liberty. Crowley and Johnson singled and drove in a run each while both Howard and Ashley Desbiens singled.
Victoria Anthony pitched 12⁄3 innings. She allowed two hits and two walks. Harden finished the game, giving up three hits and two walks.
Liberty was scheduled to play in Brunswick on Tuesday.