Giugliano, offense lead way in Liberty's softball victory

Janessa Giugliano pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 
By Paige Mendez, Correspondent

The Liberty High softball team won its third straight league game of the season 9-1 at home against San Jacinto Tuesday afternoon.

Led by winning pitcher Janessa Giugliano, the Bison held the Tigers to just one run on five hits and one error, with 10 strikeouts from the circle. Giugliano said she knew her pitching was going to be solid before the game even started.

“It’s kind of just when I warm up, I have that swagger,” she said. “When it works in the bullpen, I’m just ready to go.”

On top of the defensive performance, Liberty’s bats were putting in the work, as well.

They racked up five hits in the first four innings before any RBI’s followed, with the fifth being a double from designated hitter Cameryn Rutkoff, which brought in Kayden Brown to give the Bison a 1-0 lead going into the fifth.

Lissette Quinones (leading off the inning with a double), Attiana Thompson, Kaylee Fraund, Brooklyn Abeyta and Trinity Barnes all got base hits in the fifth to start a rally.

Rutkoff took the plate again and continued the rally with a homer over the center field fence that put her team up 7-0.

“Hitting like that makes me like softball,” Rutkoff said. “I’ve been at the gym a lot and working on it, so I am happy the results are showing.”

Fraund and Julianna Larson saw the same results one inning later -- perhaps in an answer to San Jacinto’s fifth-inning home run that scored their one run of the game -- in back to back home runs to left field to put their team up 9-1 going into the last inning.

Fraund lead the team with three hits, while Rutkoff had the most RBI’s with four. Overall, the team had 13 hits.

Giugliano said her team’s offensive performance made her job easier.

“I love it because I know we have big bats so I’m ready to rely on them whenever I need it,” she said. “There’s always someone to back you up because it’s a team sport and our team’s chemistry is really great.”

Head coach Nicole Chilson said her pitching and offense were more than she could ask for.

“When Janessa can get that pitch working, she’s pretty much untouchable, and as a coach you really can’t ask for more,” she said. “And we definitely have a lot of power in our bats, too. Between these 18 girls they make it hard to write a lineup, but I can put anybody up there and know they’re going to get the job done.”

The Bison are now 3-0 in league and 10-4 overall on the season. Their next matchup is a home game against Tahquitz Thursday at 3 p.m.

Lisette Quinones dives safely into home plate in Liberty's victory. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Liberty infielder Kaylee Fraund fields a ground ball during Tuesday's game. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Julianna Larson connects for one of her team's 13 hits. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)