Liberty graduates to third straight championship game
Thomas and Slack lead offensive outburst against Decatur 9-1
Liberty seniors Alex Wiley and Reese Evans toss their hats after graduating at Red and Charlene McCombs Field in Austin after the Lady Panthers 9-1 win over Decatur.
Abby Key of Liberty makes this catch on Thursday afternoon in the State Semifinals against Decatur played at the University of Texas.
AUSTIN- Behind the hitting duo of Hollie Thomas and Bailee Slack, the Liberty Lady Panthers collected 13 hits to run away from the Decatur Lady Eagles 9-1 on Thursday afternoon at Red and Charlene McCombs Field in the Class 4A State Semifinals at the University of Texas.
Liberty, now 37-8 on the season, will face Corpus Christi Calallen, a 5-1 winner over Aubrey in the other State Semifinal game, on Saturday at 10 am for the 4A Title.
Thomas finished with three hits and five RBIs at the plate, including a homer, while Slack also had three hits, scored three runs, had three stolen bases, and a home run in the sixth inning. Brookelyn Taylor allowed just four hits while striking out five.
With Taylor retiring the first nine Decatur hitters at the plate, the Lady Panthers got it going in the bottom of the third.
Breezy Pantalion singled, and then Slack followed with a single. Thomas then turned on a pitch and launched it over the left field wall for a three-run homer and Liberty was leading 3-0. The inning was not over as Alex Wiley doubled and then Abby Vickers followed with a single to put runners on first and third. Kylee Bishop then stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run double and the Lady Panthers led 5-0.
Liberty added a couple of more runs in the fourth inning. Slack singled and then Reese Evans walked. After a double steal of second and third, Thomas had an RBI single to make it 6-0. Wiley then ran the advantage to 7-0 with a fly ball to center field, scoring Evans.
The Lady Panthers put the game away with two more runs in the sixth frame. Slack crushed a pitch over the right field wall for a homer and the score was 8-0. Evans would then follow with a single and after moving to second base on a passed ball, the senior scored on a Thomas single and the scoreboard saw Liberty with a 9-0 advantage.
Decatur ended the shut-out with a run in the top of the seventh inning, but that would be all they would get as Bishop made a diving catch at shortstop for the final out of the game.
Bishop and Vickers each finished with two hits apiece.