A four-run fifth inning by Liberty’s softball team quieted Northampton’s Konkrete Kids as the Hurricanes recorded a 6-2 home victory on April 25.

“[Big innings] have been happening a lot, and I think the reasoning behind it is these teams are so good in our division. The pitching is outstanding, and it just takes us one time through to start to get on that pitching. Once we get on it, we start making good contact, and then it rolls over to the next at bat,” said Liberty coach Sam Carrodo.

The Hurricanes loaded the bases on singles from AnnMarie Stella, Kritzie Diaz-Rivera, and Sophia Rivera, and Addison Sabo’s 3 RBI double to left center cleared the bases for Liberty in the fifth inning.

“I didn’t think about it too much. I just tried to hit a line drive to bring them in,” Sabo said. “It is exciting, but I just keep under control. I was very excited that I could back up Addy Smith, bringing in those extra runs.”

Leah Onia drove in Sabo for Liberty’s sixth run.

Northampton was on the scoreboard first with back-to-back doubles from Laila Reichl and Ro Echevarria, but the Hurricanes responded with Ella Quayle’s RBI that scored McKenna Beck.

Liberty broke the 1-1 tie on back-to-back doubles from Rivera and Sabo in the third inning.

Addy Smith was the winning pitcher.

“I was trying to move the ball around because they’re great hitters, and they were making contact with the ball, but our fielders have my back every single play,” said Smith, who tried to stay outside and throw some off-speed. “Our bats have been very hot, but our defense has been backing that up a lot, and that’s been huge in keeping teams to low-scoring.”

Leah Reagan led off the seventh inning for the K-Kids with a base hit, followed by Josephine Siegfried’s single to center and Kiley Henritzy’s single, but Sabo’s throw from center picked off Siegfried at second base.

Said Carrodo of his Hurricanes, “Addy Smith is starting to come around and be her dominant self again. Sophia (Rivera) and AnnMarie (Stella) get that infield going, and Addison (Sabo) is just playing unconscious in the outfield, and I honestly think she should be player of the year.”

This week, Liberty will travel to Nazareth on May 1 and will take on city rival Freedom on May 6.