Liberty Union loses a heartbreaker in D-V state championship game
· Yahoo Sports
AKRON – A year ago, Liberty Union was outmanned and overwhelmed by Wheelersburg during the state title game.
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Facing the Pirates in a rematch of a Division V state championship game on Sunday, June 7, the Lions showed right away, this year would be different. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, led 4-1 through the first three before eventually facing a 7-4 deficit. That’s when things got interesting, as Liberty Union refused to lay down and quit.
The Lions rallied in the top of the seventh inning, scoring two runs, and they had the tying and go-ahead runs on second and third. However, a groundout ended it, and the rally fell short, but the Lions acquitted themselves well before coming up short in a 7-6 loss at Akron’s Firestone Stadium.
Liberty Union was not only making its third consecutive trip to the final four, but they were playing in its third straight state championship game. They won the Division III state championship in 2024, and have finished state runners-up the last two, which has been a remarkable three-year run.
The Lions finished with a 27-2 record, and the senior class finished their career with 95 wins.
“It’s heartbreaking, but I loved the way we came out in attack mode and put some runs on the board. I think we all knew that four runs wasn’t going to win it against that caliber, so we knew we needed to keep attacking, but it took us a little longer to adjust to their second pitcher. I loved the way we played in the seventh inning, and it tells me a lot about this group. It was a heck of a season, and we represented our school and out community well.”
Liberty Union couldn’t have asked for a better start. Alexis McCoy started things off in the first inning by reaching on an infield hit, and after an out, Suzie Shultz doubled. McCoy scored on a wild pitch, and after Eden Wilson walked, and the second out in the inning was recorded, Emilyn Kanet came up huge with a single that plated two more runs to give the Lions a 3-0 lead.
The Lions manufactured a run in the second when Hannah Leith was hit by a pitch, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Cobie Weaver. McCoy singled, and the Lions were able to score on a double steal with Leith racing home to push the lead to 4-0.
The Pirates tied the score with three runs in the fourth inning, and three more in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead.
Liberty Union started the seventh inning on fire. Suzie Shultz just missed a home run when hit a double off the leftfield fence. Wilson drew a walk, and Ryleigh Brown came up huge with a sharp single to score a run. Wilson would eventually score on a wild pitch to cut it to 7-6. However, the next two batters struck out, but the Lions still had a chance. Leith drew a walk, and with runners on second and third, a groundout to second base ended it.
“That seventh inning defines what our team is made of,” Kanet said. “We always say, all gas, no brakes, and It’s not over until it’s over and we weren’t going to make it easy and I so proud of our team for the fight they showed.”
Liberty Union has won two straight Mid-State League-Buckeye Division titles, three straight district championships, three consecutive regional championships, and three straight final four appearances.
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at [email protected] for comments or story tips. Follow him on X at twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Liberty Union loses a heartbreaker in D-V state championship game