As has become the Freedom way, the Patriots defeated Liberty in a come-from-behind softball victory, 7-6, last Friday at Freedom.

“Every time we play Liberty, they really press themselves, and I’m glad we came out on top. I’m really, really proud of them,” said Freedom coach Nora Lorady. “That’s the key: never give up, and it’s never over till it’s over.”

Last Friday was not the first time the Patriots staged a successful comeback, and the Hurricanes knew it.

“They’ve done it all year. They’re a good team, and they can hit,” said Liberty coach Sam Carrodo. “I told our girls in the bottom of the seventh inning, they could come back.”

The Hurricanes led 6-3 when Freedom outfielder Julia Roman hit a two-run home run. Ironically, Roman did the same thing in the first inning with the same player, Brenna Ortwein, on base.

Maddy Sheffer walked and Alexa Fencera came in as a courtesy runner before Matison Piripavel hit what turned out to be a ground-rule double as Fencera tried to score.

“I heard [the umpires] talking about it, and I thought, if I have to go back, whoever’s up next is going to hit it, and they’ll get me in,” Fencera said.

Fencera was right, and Makenzie Smith hit a double to score two more runs and clinch a victory over the Patriots’ biggest rival.

“I knew I had to do something. We had runners on second and third, and we had two outs, and we needed that win. I just delivered, I guess. I heard my team, and they were pumping me up, and I was getting really excited,” said Smith. “I realized we won the game when I saw everyone run out and everyone was so loud. I was really happy.”

The second irony of the day was that Smith and Piripavel were in the same position in Freedom’s 14-13 comeback victory over Allentown Central Catholic after being down 13-3.

“I was in a similar situation against the Central team, so I just had to keep calm and relaxed and think about my team, and not think about mechanics all the time,” Piripavel said. “I saw it going right at that girl, and I was like, oh gosh, don’t catch that. I’m very team-oriented over myself, so I’m just glad I could help my team out.”

Liberty led 3-2 for 2 1/2 innings when Gabby Glick tied the game in the bottom of the fifth after her base hit and two steals on two wild pitches.

“I was really calm and I knew my team was really close and I was really excited. [After the first wild pitch] I was just ready to run and to score. I saw [the ground out] was near the right side of the field so I was ready to go,” Glick said.

Liberty designated player Kyla Benner hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh and finished the game with 4 RBIs.

“We had considered walking her, and we didn’t,” Coach Lorady said. “She had our number today.”

Alexa Burger and Apryl Cruz had doubles for the Hurricanes, also in the top of the seventh.

“They don’t give up, they have the confidence to try and pull it out,” said Coach Lorady, regarding the Patriots.

“As a coach you’ve got to kind of be quiet and let them do their thing. Coach Deily gave them a real good pep talk right before we went to hit in the last inning, and we know we can hit well, and Julia has been coming through all the time. Everybody’s been contributing throughout the line up somehow somewhere.”