For the second time this season, the Freedom Patriots trounced the Liberty Hurricanes on May 7 at DeSales University, 11-5.

“It was the same as last game, a close score early on, and then we had that inning where it opens up, and it becomes contagious,” said Freedom coach Michele Laubach. “We just needed to change our approach, get rid of that fly ball, and start hitting the gaps.”

Liberty took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on RBI by Addison Sabo, who tripled, and Addy Smith.

But Aly Laubach’s leadoff triple for Freedom in the fifth inning led to five runs for the Patriots.

“I got halfway to second, and Coach Laubach was like, all right, keep coming,” said Aly Laubach. “Definitely a lot of trust there, and if she tells me to go, I’m going to third base. She’s also said that any call is on her, so if you’re hustling as hard as you can, and you make a great slide, and you get out, that’s on her, but the whole team has a lot of trust in her read off the ball.”

Coach Laubach was more than happy to greet her daughter at third base.

“It is exciting being able to coach her in her third sport here, so to see her have success, it’s a testament to her being a good, overall athlete,” said Coach Laubach. “She’s a competitor, and she’s been in games like this, and taking wrestling where you’re competing one-on-one, she won two medals in EPCs and placed in districts, so I think that competitiveness helps her up here where she isn’t maybe as anxious or nervous as other kids, and it’s cool to see.”

Hannah Heidemann’s sacrifice fly scored Laubach, and Namelia Duro’s RBI single tied the game.

Duro went on to hit a solo home run in the sixth inning and a 3-run homer in the seventh inning. Duro was also the winning pitcher.

“We were all popping it up, so I was thinking level swing and not trying to dip too much, and I think that’s what helped me get it over,” she said. “There was a lot coming into this game, our coach talked about the bell that we play for every year, and Liberty beat us three times last year, and we don’t want that to happen this year.”

Leah Onia’s RBI double to left field added a run for the Hurricanes, but Sabo was thrown out at home plate by Freedom left fielder Daniela Guzzo, who also made a diving catch in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Patriots had another five-run inning in the seventh that included back-to-back doubles from Guzzo and Laubach.

Freedom center fielder Brooke Rummel also had a base hit in the seventh and went 3-for-5 in the game, including an RBI double.

“I’m thinking better, mentally, to keep myself up, so I can get hits for my team. Before I go in the box, I look at the outfield to see where there’s bigger gaps, so I try to take the ball whatever way is best,” Rummel said. “I’m so proud. Our team is so good together, and we have such good bonds. No matter what, we always find a way.”

The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Softball Tournament began the following day when Freedom defeated Stroudsburg, 18-3, and Liberty got by Northampton, 8-6.

Freedom and Liberty will have met for the third time this season in an EPC semifinal on May 12, and the winner will play in the championship on May 15.