SUNRISE REGION: Patriots work as a team, eclipse Gators

Liberty softball coach Kris Jensen has seen some impressive individual performances from his top athletes this season, but that’s not what he was looking for on Thursday.

Instead, the coach warned his players that a team effort would be necessary to defeat the league’s top opponents.

The Patriots listened, as Jensen got key production from every player in his lineup, and the Patriots were rewarded with a 2-hour, 23-minute 8-5 victory over top-seeded Green Valley in the semifinals of the Sunrise Region playoffs at Majestic Park.

The win advanced Liberty (24-8) straight to Friday’s 5 p.m. championship against either Foothill (18-13) or Green Valley (26-7).

Cassandra English went 3-for-4 to lead the Patriots, but Jensen gave credit to everyone on his squad.

“At the start of the playoffs, we struggled a lot,” said Jensen, whose team also lost both regular-season games against the Gators. “So we talked about playing as one and winning as a team. I’m so happy that so many girls who usually go under the radar stepped up tonight.”

Green Valley was the first to step up, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Alicia Firelein hit an RBI double off the right-field fence.

But Liberty answered in the third, scoring three runs in an inning capped by Francesca Foti’s RBI double.

Though the Gators tied the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the inning, the Patriots drove in four runs on five singles to take over in the sixth, including Breanna English’s two-run single to help Liberty take a 7-3 lead.

The Patriots added a security run in the top of the seventh, and a two-run rally by the Gators in the bottom of the inning fell short.

Jensen said the key was his offense’s ability to keep runners on base.

“They couldn’t get our slappers,” he said. “So we always had someone on base, and that gave us good opportunities to score runs.”

The Gators will face Foothill on Friday in a 3 p.m. game to determine who will play Liberty in the championship.

Megan Patras went 3-for-5 with two RBIs to help the Patriots, and teammate Rhiannon Beck also had three hits.

Shelby Vickers went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to lead Green Valley.

Basic 6, Las Vegas 2 — Lacey Romo tossed a three-hitter with eight strikeouts to help the Wolves eliminate the Wildcats from the playoffs.

Leah Causey went 3-for-4 to lead Basic, which took over with five runs in the third inning. Romo helped herself with a solo home run.

Starting pitcher Monique Hernandez had an RBI double in the first inning to give Las Vegas a brief 1-0 lead.

Foothill 2, Valley 0 — Alex Petrolia tossed a four-hitter, striking out four, to help the Falcons eliminate the Vikings.

Myranda Mortel homered in the first inning and Aricia Dami blasted an RBI double in the sixth to provide Foothill’s runs.

Foothill 5, Basic 0 — Petrolia tossed a two-hitter, and the Falcons broke a scoreless tie by scoring three runs on no hits in the fourth inning as Foothill (19-13) eliminated the Wolves (20-7).

The Falcons parlayed two walks, three fielder’s choices and an error into three runs in the top of the fourth inning to take control.

Kylee Taylor and Kylie Ishikawa each had an RBI single in the fifth inning for the Falcons.

Jenilee Medina collected both of Basic’s hits.