Slack & Taylor lead Liberty past Bridge City 2-0
The Liberty Lady Panther after their 2-0 win over Bridge City on Thursday night in the Regional Quarterfinals. The Vindicator | Jerry Michalsky
Liberty's Bailee Slack gets ready to make the catch in center field against Bridge City on Thursday night in Baytown.
BAYTOWN — All season long, the home run power of the Liberty Lady Panthers has been on display, but last Thursday, they turned to some small ball in a Class 4A Regional Quarterfinal match-up against Bridge City.
Using some key bunts and a 4 for 4 performance with three stolen bases from Bailee Slack, Liberty shut out the Lady Cardinals 2-0 in a one game winner-take-all to advance to the Regional Semifinals.
This was built as a powerhouse pitching matchup with the Lady Panthers Brookelyn Taylor facing off against Carson Falls of Bridge City.
Falls was impressive with 11 strikeouts, but Liberty's Taylor stole the show by striking out 11 and allowing just a single hit on the night.
Even more remarkable was the fact that Taylor did not walk a single hitter and needed only 83 pitches for the game.
The contest was scoreless through five innings of play. Slack reached third base twice in the first few innings but would be stranded both times.
The Lady Panthers turned an excellent double play in the fourth inning as Taylor snagged a bunt attempt on the mound and then threw to first base for a huge double play.
In the sixth inning, Bayleigh Taylor reached on a single and stole second base. Abbie Key then sacrificed Taylor over to third base, and then Abby Vickers followed with a perfect bunt that was bobbled, allowing Taylor to cross home plate and Vickers to reach with an infield hit and Liberty was on top 1-0.
Slack then ensured the Lady Panthers had some insurance in the seventh inning. The senior lined a pitch to left field that went under the Bridge City left fielder and rolled to the fence for a triple. A couple of pitches later, Slack scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
Brookelyn Taylor finished the Lady Cardinals off with a strikeout, and Liberty was on their way to the next round.
'We have been preparing all week for Bridge City, and tonight, that hard work paid off for us,' said Slack.
Liberty is ranked No. 3 in Class 4A and will face No. 2 Salado in the Regional Semifinals starting Thursday night in Huntsville. Game two will be Friday at 5 p.m., and then game three, if necessary, will follow 30 minutes after the completion of game two.