The Liberty Hawks will head out to square off against the Selma Bears at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Liberty is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
Liberty took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They blew past Parlier 25-0. The Hawks haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Liberty got a massive performance out of Leilah Uriarte, who went 3-for-4 with seven RBI, four runs, and two triples. Uriarte continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Carly Jimenez, who got on base in all five of her plate appearances with one home run, six RBI, and two runs.
Liberty always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .628. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Selma was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 4-3 heartbreaker at the hands of Dinuba. That's two games in a row now that the Bears have lost by just one run.
Gabriela Pena spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Grace Garcia was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That home run marked the first that she launched this season.
Selma's defeat dropped their record down to 4-4-1. As for Liberty, their win bumped their record up to 7-3.
Liberty's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's match. Liberty has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Selma, though, as they've been averaging only 0.7 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Liberty continue to outrun the ball?
Liberty was able to grind out a solid victory over Selma in their previous matchup back in April of 2023, winning 10-6. Does Liberty have another victory up their sleeve, or will Selma turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
