The Freedom Patriots are heading into their most challenging week this season with a record of 6-3, having lost to Northampton, 8-1, this past Monday at Freedom.

“We got off to a nice start but we knew this week was going to be our big challenge week with Northampton, Nazareth, and Parkland, so we’re hoping to fight through the rest of it,” said Freedom coach Michele Laubach, who has returned to head coaching after having last led city rival Liberty.

“I feel like I never left,” said Laubach. “Stepping back on, just switching the colors.”

The game was scoreless until the fourth inning when the Konkrete Kids scored a run on a sacrifice fly to center field.

Patriot right fielder Gabby Glick hit a double in the bottom of the fourth, but she was left on base.

In the top of the fifth, Northampton’s Maddie Fraley hit a two-run home run, and the K-Kids led 3-0.

“I think that was the turning point and maybe our pitcher struggling a little bit and maybe putting two girls on that inning,” Coach Laubach said. “I think we hit the ball hard at points today, but we should have hit the ball more.”

By the bottom of the seventh inning, Northampton led 8-0, but the Pates still had some hitting to do, and Taylor Resetar just missed hitting a home run to center field and settled for a double.

“I started jogging and then I realized I had to sprint, but it was a game situation where I knew I had to step up for my team, I have to hit, and I have to pick us up somehow to get us runs and start scoring,” Resetar said. “I think we need to be mentally more focused coming into games, especially with big teams like this. We need to execute better.”

Abby Husser also hit a double which scored Resetar.

“The first two I fouled off, and I got a little scared because I didn’t want to get a change up, so then when she didn’t throw a change up I went for it, and I was just glad I made contact,” Husser said. “It felt good and I just ran to first, but then when it dropped I was watching my coach.”

Jen Slanovec pitched the first five innings before being relieved by Husser.

“It was difficult because the wind was changing all the pitches and it made it hard to do what I normally do. You can’t practice for something like this. You have to just go with it,” said Slanovec. “My curveball had great movement because the wind was blowing with it. It was hard to get my screwball to work because the wind was blowing against it which made it stay down the middle more.”