6-3 win over Northwood puts Liberty in CIF softball finals

Liberty High players celebrate a victory over Northwood that puts them in the CIF finals next weekend.

They did it again.

The Liberty Bison softball team rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Northwood High 6-3 in Irvine Saturday, earning a trip to the CIF-SS Division 5 championship game next weekend.

Whether they are winning by mercy rule or rallying in the final innings, the Bison have become a dominant force in just their first full varsity season. Liberty is 21-3-1 heading into the finals against Irvine High, which is 21-10 after scoring a 5-4 victory over Santa Paula on Saturday. The championship game will be either Friday or Saturday at a site to be determined.

“It’s been a great run,” coach Jeffrey Pena said after the game. “The girls were really celebrating. I told them to remember, we still have a ring to win.”

Trailing 3-1 in the top of the sixth inning, the Bison started the rally with a single by Emma Campos. Attiana Thompson reached base on an error and Kaylee Fraund walked to load the bases. Lissette Quinones then doubled home two runs, followed by another two-run double by Brooklyn Abeyta. Yasmine Lopez singled home another run for a 6-3 lead.

The rest was up to pitcher Janessa Guigliano, who had one of her best games of the season in pitching a complete game with 13 strikeouts. She shut down Northwood in the final two innings to seal the victory.

Guigliano, a sophomore, is now 9-2 on the season with a 1.78 ERA.