Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CEDAR RAPIDS – Kara Maiers, her Liberty High teammates and the hundreds of fans in an overflow crowd all got the pitchers’ duel they expected and then some Tuesday evening at Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

It was second-ranked Kennedy that got the outcome they were hoping for.

Kaylin Kinney outdueled Maiers in an instant classic between two of the best pitchers in the state as Kennedy outlasted Liberty High 1-0 in 11 innings in the Class 5A, Region 7 title game.

“Honestly it was exactly the type of game I expected,” Maiers said. “I didn’t expect it to go that many innings but I knew it was going to be a close game.”

Both pitchers were brilliant on Tuesday with Kinney extending her scoreless inning streak to a staggering 51.

Maiers matched the Kennedy all-stater all evening tossing 10 shutout innings before the Cougars scratched across the game’s lone run in the 11^th when a fly ball by Mya Dodge dropped in shallow left field scoring Alyssa Martin from second.

“Could you get a game any better than this?” Liberty High coach Jeff Kelley asked. “Two outstanding pitchers and I knew coming in it was going to be a burner. Obviously Kinney threw a whale of a game, we pressured them a couple of times and she rose to the occasion and that’s what great players do.”

It was the 16^th consecutive win, and eighth straight shutout, for Kennedy (23-1) and sent the Cougars to the state tournament for the second consecutive season where they will face ninth-ranked Pleasant Valley (17-6) in a 5A quarterfinal.

For Liberty High (17-9) it was the second straight season of regional final heartbreak after the Lightning fell to Independence 4-2 last season in their first ever regional final appearance.

“We did everything we could tonight and I’m proud of our team and what we did,” Liberty High senior Brylee Klosterman said. “We played our butts off. I’m proud of how we played.”

What was billed as a pitchers duel lived up to the hype.

Maiers allowed seven hits and walked six but struck out 10 while working out of several tough spots.

The junior right-hander stranded 13 runners on base in the first 10 innings while holding Kennedy scoreless.

“I am so proud of the way Kara pitched, going into the last inning she had thrown 168 pitches and she did everything we could ask her to do,” Kelley said. “I don’t know what inning it was, maybe the sixth, she lost the feel for her rise but to show how outstanding she is she was basically throwing fastballs and change ups.”

Kinney had allowed seven hits and no runs in 40 innings entering Tuesday’s regional final.

She allowed five hits, three to Klosterman, and didn’t walk a batter while striking out eight.

“We were definitely knew it was going to be a battle of two great pitchers and who could get a few hits together,” Klosterman said. “She’s a great pitcher, obviously not giving up a run in how may innings? I’m just really proud of our team and how we executed against a great pitcher.”

Both pitchers eclipsed the 150-pitch mark on Tuesday.

Kinnedy threw 153 and Maiers 180.

Both looked sharp all the way through.

“I felt like I had an inning or two left in me,” Maiers said. “I already had a couple of bruises from tonight so I didn’t know how much I had left but I still felt strong.”

Kennedy left the bases loaded in the third and eighth innings and stranded runners at second and third in both the fifth and seventh.

Liberty High had its best scoring chances in the sixth when Klosterman doubled with one out, the ninth when Klosterman had a leadoff single and stole second and the 11^th when she singled with one out and again stole second.

Each time Kinney wiggled out of trouble.

We didn’t everything we could we just couldn’t get the timely hit,” Kelley said. “Against outstanding pitchers that is what it comes down to.”

The Cougars finally broke through in the 11^th.

Martin singled with one out and moved to second on a ground ball. After Kinney was intentionally walked Dodge hit a towering fly ball to left that fell between Liberty High fielders allowing Martin to score from second.

The 1-0 loss was a far cry from the 5-2 and 10-0 wins for Kennedy in a regular season doubleheader between the two teams last month.

“You look at when we played them a few weeks ago and what we did tonight,” Klosterman said. “We’ve grown a lot as a team and we’ve become more of a team and I couldn’t be any prouder of our team and what we’ve done.”

Liberty High              000  000  000  00  –  0  5  3
CR Kennedy              000  000  000  01  –  1  7  1

W – Kaylin Kinney                 L – Kara Maiers

2B – ICL: Brylee Klosterman

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.