Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CEDAR RAPIDS – In an effort to stop a stretch of three consecutive doubleheader splits Liberty High coach Jeff Kelley switched things up a bit against Waterloo West.

The results of the shakeup speak for themselves.

Liberty High hammered out 28 hits and scored 25 runs in a pair of wins shortened by the run-rule on Thursday at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids.

“I kind of mixed some things up,” Kelley said. “I flipped our pitchers, I told the girls we are going to make some little changes and the reason why is we are below .500 and we are better than that.”

Liberty High certainly looked better than a .500 outfit on Thursday.

Half of the 28 hits for the Lightning went for extra bases as Liberty High improved to 9-9 on the season and 9-5 in Mississippi Valley Conference play with its first doubleheader sweep since May 30.

Waterloo West dropped to 4-13 and 4-12 in conference play.

Liberty High won the opener 13-3 in six innings and exploded for 10 runs in the first inning of the nightcap on its way to a 12-0, three-inning win that ended a string of four consecutive conference doubleheaders with a sweep for the Lightning.

“It’s really relieving for us because we haven’t really been finishing the second game and playing to our potential,” Liberty High junior Brylee Klosterman said. “I think this is a big confidence booster and hopefully we keep growing from this and keep getting better.”

The big switch Kelley made on Thursday was flipping pitchers throwing freshman Kinsley Robertson in the opener and using sophomore ace Kara Maiers.

Both were impressive on Thursday.

Robertson (3-6) allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits and struck out eight in six innings in the opener.

Maiers gave up just one hit, struck out six and walked one in a three-inning win in the nightcap.

“Kinsley has had some tough luck but the girls know if we score with Kara on the mound that we are set up in great shape,” Kelley said. “I need them to get that same mentality with Kinsley because she is every bit as good as everybody elses number two.”

Both Robertson and Maiers had the advantage of pitching with a lead for most of the evening.

Liberty High scored twice in the first inning of the opener before breaking the game open with a five-run second inning.

Klosterman had the first of two RBI triples in the five-run second inning.

“It’s important for our pitchers for us to be able to get up early,” Klosterman said. “When they are throwing a good game we need to come out on offense and back them up and get runs for them when we can. We want to take advantage of every opportunity we get and run with it.”

Just as she has all season Klosterman led the Liberty High offensive onslaught on Thursday.

The junior centerfielder had four hits and drove in four runs in the opener

She went 5-for-6 with two triples and a double in the doubleheader to raise her team-leading average to .565 on the season.

“I feel like I am seeing the ball better and my timing has gotten better,” Klosterman said. “I’m just more comfortable right now. I’m comfortable with the role I need to play.”

Liberty High had lost the nightcap of three of its previous four doubleheaders but didn’t let that happen on Thursday.

The Lightning opened game two with six consecutive hits while scoring 10 first-inning runs.

Miranda Jones doubled twice and drove in three runs in the 10-run first inning while Mallory Jones had RBI double and homered in the opening inning.

Courtney Olson also had a two-run double as all 10 Liberty High hits in game two came in the opening inning.

“It’s been a while since we’ve swept, obviously we hit the ball and that helps the intensity in the second game but I just thought our focus was better,” Kelley said. “We are capable of doing this if we have the same intensity that we have in the second game as we do in the first.”

Game 1

Waterloo West         001  020  –   3    6   1

Liberty High             252  031  –  13  18  0

W – Kinsley Robertson          L – Bre’Ann Olsson

2B – ICL: Brylee Klosterman, Ella McLaughlin, Eva Stewart, Miranda Jones (2), Blythe Geiman. WW: Sierrra Burt

3B – ICL: Brylee Klosterman (2), Ella McLaughlin 

Game 2

Waterloo West             000   –   0    1   0

Liberty High              (10)2x  –  12  10  0

W – Kara Maiers                    L – Nia Christoffer

2B – ICL: Miranda Jones (2), Raquel Trolliet, Courtney Olson

HR – ICL: Mallory Jones

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