SUNRISE SOFTBALL: Liberty offense comes alive as Patriots rout Las Vegas

Liberty softball coach Jim Portese decided before the season that his squad would place a greater emphasis on offense than his past teams had.

There were times when the coach wondered if all the extra work was paying off, but Tuesday was not one of those times.

The Patriots pounded out 15 hits to rout visiting Las Vegas 13-0 in their five-inning Division I Sunrise Region playoff opener.

Marisa Olmos went 4-for-4 with two triples and three RBIs to lead the hit parade, and pitcher Breanna Alvarez tossed a one-hitter to make it convincing.

“After last year, we analyzed this year’s team,” Portese said. “We decided we were going to need to hit more in practice. Today, that extra hitting paid off.”

It appeared Liberty (19-8) would cash in immediately, as the Patriots loaded the bases in the first inning with no outs. But Wildcats starter Skylar Gorrell worked out of the jam and ultimately allowed just one run.

She wasn’t so fortunate in the second.

Kylie Hefley led off with a triple, and Liberty added six more hits in the inning while sending 13 hitters to the plate. Cali Christopher had a two-run triple, and McKenna Hefley capped the inning with a sharp RBI single up the middle to give the Patriots an 8-0 lead after two.

Portese praised his players for not wilting after blowing a prime opportunity in the first.

“We knew there would be other opportunities,” he said. “We never let our heads fall.”

That confidence carried into the third inning, when Liberty tacked on two more, and into the fourth when they scored three, thanks in part to Olmos’ RBI triple to make it 13-0.

Portese said Olmos helped ignite his offense.

“That’s Marissa,” he said. “She comes out to play. She’s a coach’s player, and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

Alvarez, who struck out five while allowing just one walk, helped herself offensively by going 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Teammate Morgan LaNeve went 3-for-3 with an RBI to help Liberty, which will visit top-seeded Rancho (25-7) in a winners’ bracket semifinal at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Sabrina Saldate had a leadoff single to left field in the third inning for the only hit for Las Vegas (13-8), which hosts Basic (14-18) in an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Rancho 3, Basic 2 — At Rancho, Gianna Carosone’s sacrifice fly plated Lorena De La Torre with the winning run as the Rams scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to nip the eighth-seeded Wolves.

Yvette Sanchez led off the seventh with a double. Alisa Blevins reached on her own sacrifice bunt to put runners at first and third. De La Torre ran for Blevins and stole second.

Lili Gutierrez’ RBI single plated Sanchez to tie the game. After a fly out, Carosone hit a sacrifice fly to right to bring home De La Torre.

Sanchez was 2-for-3, and Gutierrez went 2-for-4 for Rancho.

Alyssa Ferguson had a hit and a run for Basic.

Foothill 9, Green Valley 1 — At Foothill, Kayla King tossed a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks, and Katelyn Enzweiler belted a two-run homer as the Falcons downed the Gators.

Jazmine Dukes was 3-for-3 with a two-run double, and teammate Sarah Maddox went 3-for-4 for Foothill, which scored seven runs in the fourth inning.

Foothill (24-8) will visit Coronado (25-8) in a winners’ bracket semifinal at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Tyre Hilton had a single and a run for Green Valley (17-15), which will host Silverado (12-16) in an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Coronado 13, Silverado 0 — At Coronado, Brooke Younie went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, and Basia Query was 2-for-3 with two RBIs as the Cougars blanked the Skyhawks in five innings.

Dylan Underwood was 2-for-2 with two runs scored for Coronado.

Tatum Spangler tossed a five-hitter and struck out six for the Cougars.