Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

INDEPENDENCE – When the postseason pairings were released last month Jeff Kelley knew his team had an opportunity to make history.

Liberty High had several chances to seize that opportunity on Tuesday but couldn’t quite take advantage.

The Lightning left nine runners on base, including five in the first two innings, as fifth-ranked Independence (30-11) rallied for a 4-2 win over Liberty High in the Class 4A, Region 5 title game on an overcast evening in Independence.

“When the pairings came out I told them then we are as good as anybody in our region,” Kelley said. “We played well, there were a couple of plays tonight we didn’t make and credit Independence the opportunities they got I’d say they maximized about every one of them.”

Liberty High (21-22) twice held one-run leads but left seven runners in scoring position while

just missing out on becoming the first team in school history to claim a state tournament berth.

The Lightning left two runners on base in four different innings including leaving the bases loaded in the first.

“When you get into games like this you get opportunities and you just have to maximize them,” Kelley said. “We had a lot of opportunities and we maximized on a couple of them but that first inning was a big one.”

Independence used a three-run sixth inning and some masterful escape jobs by ace pitcher Mackenzie Hupke to overcome a 2-1 deficit while returning to the state tournament for the second straight season.

The Mustangs will face WAMAC rival West Delaware in the Class 4A quarterfinals on July 23 at 1:30 p.m.

“This is the toughest region and anyone walking out of this was going to earn it,” Independence coach Heather Hupke said. “I’m telling you what, (Liberty) is winning some other regions, I truly believe that.”

For the third consecutive postseason game Liberty High bolted on top early.

Brylee Klosterman led off the game with a single and Addie Schmierer followed with a single before Raquel Trolliet reached on a fielders choice to load the bases.

The Lightning took a 1-0 lead when Klosterman scored on a Miranda Jones RBI ground out but couldn’t do any further damage against Hupke.

“We could have put them in a position that they hadn’t been in probably for most of the year and we had a couple of other opportunities too,” Kelley said. “That’s how the game goes sometimes.”

Liberty High had another scoring opportunity the second as Mallory Jones led off with a single and Klosterman notched her second hit of the game two batters later.

Hupke and Independence dodged a bullet when Trolliet’s line drive was snagged by first baseman Allie Jo Zieser to end the inning.

Independence got even with a run in the third on a Kaylee Hosch RBI single.

Liberty High had a chance to regain the lead in the fifth but Klosterman was caught trying to score on a squeeze bunt and the Lightning stranded runners at second and third.

Statistically (Hupke) gives up two hits a game, I think we had six and I’ll take that,” Kelley said. “We had chances. If you told me we’d have six hits I’d have taken that.”

Liberty High took the lead 2-1 in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by freshman Ella McLaughlin but Independence again had an answer.

The Mustangs scored two runs without hitting a ball out of the infield using an error, a bunt single, an infield hit, a wild pitch and a squeeze bunt to regain the lead 3-2.

A two-out RBI single to right field by Mary Puffett gave the Mustangs a 4-2 lead.

“We talk a lot about playing for each other,” Hupke said. “The next kid just kept stepping up and putting the ball in play.”

Kara Maiers was excellent in the circle for Liberty High allowing four runs, two earned, on seven hits while striking out four.

“We really managed pitch counts in that last week because I wanted her feeling as good as she could feel coming into the postseason and she did everything I could as her to do,” Kelley said. “She was lights out.”

Hupke struck out eight in the complete game for Independence.

Klosterman was 2-for-2 while Schmierer was 2-for-4 for Liberty High.

“I feel bad for the kids, they played their tails off tonight,” Kelley said. “I am just really proud of all of them.”

Liberty High 100  001  0  –  2  6  2

Independence 001  003  x  –  4  7  1

W – Mackenzie Hupke           L – Kara Maiers

2B – ICL: Addie Shmierer

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