By looking at the early softball results this season, Freedom certainly doesn’t look like a team trying to find its groove after last year was wiped out.
The Patriots improved to 4-0 on the season with a 10-0 road victory over rival Liberty on Thursday.
Senior pitcher Abby Husser held the Hurricanes to one hit in six innings and struck out 11 batters in the victory.
“I think it’s because we’ve been playing with each other so many years and we just jell together as one,” Husser said of the team’s strong start.
Freedom opened the season last week with a 10-1 victory over the six-time defending Eastern Pennsylvania Conference champion Parkland.
“We’d never beat Parkland. You want to start your senior year with a big win like that. It really propelled us through our year,” Patriots senior center fielder Brenna Ortwein said. “We knew we were going to be a good team coming in. We still have to go out and play because you never know what other teams are going to bring. It doesn’t matter what seed you are, what you’re like coming in. Every team is coming to play, especially in a game like Parkland or here at Liberty.”
Husser struck out the side in the first, second and fourth innings. The only hit off of Husser in the game was an infield single by Liberty’s Molly Devers in the fifth frame.
“Husser has an advantage because when she’s not pitching, she’s starting at third base,” Freedom coach Michele Laubach said. “She’s just smacking the ball well. That really sets her apart. She’s hitting the ball really well.”
She threw a perfect game in a win over Nazareth last week.
Ortwein, Husser, Brianna Cole and Julia Heineman each had two hits for the Patriots on Thursday.
Freedom opened up a 3-0 lead over its rival in the first inning, including Husser hitting a double. Ortwein, Heineman and Matison Piripavel each added a single in the opening frame.
It was a tough season opener for a young and inexperienced Liberty team that had its first few games postponed as the school was shut down due to COVID-19 cases.
“I thought we could’ve played defensively a lot better than we played,” Hurricanes coach Sam Carrodo said. “We put good swings on the ball, but Abby threw a fantastic game. She really did. She moved the ball around a lot. So, hats off to her. We just didn’t do the things that we should do to win a game. But we know this is a learning year. It’s going to be a learning curve for these kids all the way through.”
The Hurricanes are now scheduled for back-to-back games against Nazareth on Saturday and Monday.
The Patriots continued their impressive pitching performances as Jen Slanovec has joined Husser as quite the duo in the circle. Slanovec pitched a one-hitter in a 2-1 victory over Emmaus on Wednesday and led the way against Parkland last week.
“We’re pitching great. We work really well together,” Husser said. “She has a pitch that works really well for her and I have mine. We just have each other’s back if one of us needs help.”
Freedom will look to keep rolling with games against Bethlehem Catholic on Saturday and Monday.
The Patriots took momentum from having success in last summer’s Lehigh Valley High School Softball Showcase and are hoping for a big 2021.
“Not having a season last year and being able to play at Coca-Cola Park against Parkland in the finals, I just think it’s one of those things, we’ve had time to sit and focus on and have our sights set on this season,” Laubach said.
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Josh Folck may be reached at jfolck@lehighvalleylive.com.
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