Shutout win at Quartz Hill puts Liberty back in softball finals

By Paige Mendez, Correspondent

The Liberty High softball team won its semifinal matchup with Quartz Hill 5-0 on Saturday afternoon, advancing to next weekend's CIF-SS Division 5 championship round.

Pitcher Janessa Giugliano threw her 400th career strikeout in the outing and totaled eight strikeouts in the 28 at-bats she faced.

Head coach Nicole Smith was grateful for Giugliano’s poise in such a big game.

“I think Janessa just did a good job of pounding the zone,” Smith said. “[She was] working ahead and mixing speeds with her changeup today.”

Overall, she threw 59 percent from the circle and had just three walks. Though there were five hits against her, she said her defense did exactly what she hoped they would.

“My defense has got my back,” she said. “Everyone did their job, laying out for balls and throwing girls out from the outfield.”

One of those plays Giugliano alluded to came in the bottom of the sixth when Quartz Hill had two runners on base and a line drive was hit to left fielder Emma Campos, who threw the runner out at home to end the inning.

“That was a stellar play by Emma,” said Smith. “She got us out of a tight inning with her throw.”

The Bison offense got started early with their first run coming in just the third at-bat of the game, after a double by Kaylee Fraund and a single from Julianna Larson that drove her home.

Fraund, who was 2 for 3 (both doubles) with one walk, crossed the plate three times for Liberty in the game and is a senior Smith has learned to trust at the plate.

“Kaylee is one of our seniors on the team and she’s definitely rising up to the senior leader position.” Smith said. “She’s consistently putting together good at-bats and I know she wants to win, so she’s not going down without putting the ball in play.”

Aside from her big bat, Fraund displayed some aggressive baserunning as well, stealing third base in the fifth to put her in position to score on the next play via an error by the Quartz Hill catcher.

Eight of the 10 Bison players got on base in the outing, with just one strikeout.
Smith, being a new coach at Liberty this season, said she’s looking forward to the championship game, in large part because of how far she feels they have all come.
“I knew coming into this job what people expected of me, but I knew it would be hard,” she said. “With a new coach, new dynamic, getting the team to gel with me and buy into my coaching philosophy … I think they have done an outstanding job. It’s exciting being able to give back to this generation and it’s been a blessing coaching here this season. I’m looking forward to the championship game.”

The Bison will be seeking their second consecutive CIF-SS title when they take field against Valley Christian at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine either Friday or Saturday. Game time has not yet been announced.