Freedom gets by NHS for trip to final
Freedom’s softball team will play for an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference championship on May 14 after defeating Northampton, 3-1, in a semifinal on May 11 at Pates Park, Allentown.
The score remained tied, 1-1, for 4 ½ innings until Madison Bixler’s 2 RBI double proved to be the game winner in the bottom of the sixth inning.
“It was my first or second pitch, but it was there,” said Bixler, who was also the winning pitcher. “I’d been looking for that pitch all season off (Northampton’s) Rylee (Gable), so I’m glad I saw it at that moment.”
Freedom catcher Payton Besecker led off with a single. Namelia Duro was safe on a fielder’s choice, and Brooke Rummel was also safe on a fielder’s choice, but Duro ended up safe at second base on a Northampton error.
Brooklyn Pronovich’s bunt loaded the bases for Bixler.
“Rylee pitched a great game, and she pitched a great game the last time against us. We just needed a crucial piece to fall in place,” said Freedom coach Jeff Pronovich. “For (Brooklyn) Pronovich to have a two-strike bunt, nobody does that. She doesn’t bunt that down, I don’t think we get runs there.”
Northampton catcher Hannah Duerr’s solo home run in the top of the first inning was the Konkrete Kids’ only run.
Freedom tied the game in the bottom of the first on Rummel’s RBI.
Northampton loaded the bases in the third inning on a walk, a double, and a hit by pitch, but the Patriots escaped unscathed when Bixler forced a fly out and a strikeout.
“It was pretty difficult to get out of that,” she said. “I know I can pitch what I need to pitch to get those outs. I just threw fastball all game. This ump doesn’t really like my changeup, but I tried a few. I got a few of them.”
The Patriots had a difficult time getting runners on base as Gable tossed four strikeouts over two innings.
“I told the girls, it’s not a matter of if. It’s a matter of when the bats wake up,” Coach Pronovich said. “We’ll hit at some point. I have confidence in all 17 girls on our roster. They’ll find a way to get on base, and that’s exactly what they did.”