Liberty Christian's softball team can't hold onto lead; Weed comes back for 12-11 win

Liberty Christian's softball team found the offense it needed, but its defense allowed Weed to edge the Patriots in the final inning.

A walk and two Liberty errors loaded the bases before a wild pitch allowed Weed's Alyssa Merrill to slide into home in the bottom of the fourth to lift the Cougars past the Patriots 12-11 in the first round of the Liberty Christian Invitational at Big League Dreams' Wrigley Field on Friday.

Liberty (0-4) came out on fire, scoring four runs in each of the first two innings when junior Hannah Knowles roped a two-run triple in the first and a three-run triple to the left field wall in the second to lead early 8-2.

But the Patriots surrendered a nine-run bottom of the second where the Cougars took advantage of six Liberty errors and two timely hits to take the lead.

Two runs scored when Knowles pulled her foot off the bag and Jeni Cheffey followed with an RBI double. Weed's Elyssa Fisher added an RBI single and five more runs scored on wild pitches and passed balls in the frame to give the Cougars (3-1) an 11-8 lead after two innings of play.

"Our bats were alive and we scored a bunch early, but then our pitching struggled and we had a hard time hanging onto the ball," Liberty coach Chuck Rude said.

"We just didn't make any plays and they did."

Liberty didn't waste any time making up the difference as Kelsie Jurin drove in Allysa Barber and Lacy Asdourian singled to load the bases. Katelyn Donovan drew a walk to bring in the 10th run and Knowles knocked in her sixth RBI of the game on a fielder's choice groundout to tie it up at 11-apiece.

Knowles, who was pitching in relief for Asdourian in the middle of the second, held off the Cougars with a solid defensive effort behind her.

But Weed's Cheffey was just as productive in the top of the fourth and held the Patriots scoreless.

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Liberty Christian's softball team can't hold onto lead; Weed comes back for 12-11 win