Liberty picked up its third Region 3A-AAAA win of the season, sweeping Windsor Forest Friday night.
Colby Rhea struck out 19 Knight batter’s for a 7-2 win. Vincent Brunelli notched the win in the nightcap, no-hitting Windsor Forest, 16-0 in five innings.
The game was delayed because of rain, but dry mix got Panther Field ready.
Rhea struck out the side in the top of the second, third and fifth inning.
Offensively, the Panthers put their first two runs on the board in the bottom of the third. Liberty catcher Parker Neeley laid down a perfect bunt single and beat the throw, advancing Jerrold Clark to second. He had been walked.
Clark took third and Neeley stole second on a double steal. Jacari Roberts hit a hard ground ball to center, scoring both runners.
Windsor Forest tied the score in the top of the fourth off a two-run homer.
Roberts struck again for the Panthers in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer to left field that ignited a five-run inning.
Vince Smith also had an RBI double for Liberty regaining a 7-2 lead.
Roberts racked up three RBIs on two hits for the Panthers. Neeley also had a pair of hits for Liberty.
Rhea went the distance on the mound for the Panthers and added two hits. The win moves Rhea 3-0 on the season.
Liberty 7, Windsor 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
WND 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 3 2
LBR 0 0 2 0 5 0 0 7 10 0
Liberty jumped on Windsor early in the nightcap, plating five runs in the top of the first, giving Panthers Vincent Brunelli a comfortable lead to pitch behind.
Catcher Parker Neeley walked and advanced to third on a throwing error. A couple of more walks and another Panther batter hit by a pitch set up an RBI double from Hunter Miller.
Brunelli, 5-1, kept the ball away from the Knight hitters, striking out five and walking only one in four innings.
Liberty hammered only five hits, but took advantage of seven Windsor Forest errors and 13 walks, leading to the rout.
Vince Smith and Quinton Montgomery also had base hits for the Panthers. Colby Rhea finished with three RBIs for Liberty.
Liberty moves to 11-3 on the season and 3-2 in Region 3A-AAAA. The Panthers still have region doubleheaders versus New Hampstead and Wayne County. Liberty does not play again until next Friday when they will host New Hampstead on Senior Night.
Liberty 16, Windsor Forest 0
1 2 3 4 R H E
LBR 5 3 2 6 16 5 1
WND 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
No-hitter against groves
It was a quick trip to Garden City Thursday as Liberty wrapped up a 17-1 win in four innings. The Panther boys had the game sealed in the first inning driving in 13 runs off 10 hits.
Panthers Aric Albertson, Vince Smith and Dalton Bryant combined on the mound for a no-hitter. Albertson struck out two batters, Smith struck out three and walked one and Bryant struck out three, walked two and gave up one run.
Quindon Montgomery was 1 of 2 with 3 RBIs, Smith and Hunter Miller both went 1 of 4 with 1 RBI each. Bryant, Jacari Roberts and Colby Rhea both went 1 for 1 with 1 RBI each; Albertson was 1 of 2 with 1 RBI and Jerrold Clark had one RBI.
The Panthers are hosting Windsor Forest in a region 3-AAAA double-header today starting at 4:30 p.m. Going into the contest they are 9-3 overall and 2-2 in region play.