The Liberty baseball team and the Nazareth softball squad were both expected to do very well this year after winning Eastern Pennsylvania Conference championships in 2024. The Hurricanes also won last year’s District 11 6A title.

Both the Hurricanes and Blue Eagles did well this spring, but neither won a championship.

They both lost in the league and district title games, with Liberty falling to Parkland in both the league and district title games, and Nazareth falling to Freedom in the EPC championship game and to Easton in the 6A final.

But in the first round of the PIAA tournament on Monday, both the Hurricanes and Blue Eagles earned come-from-behind wins and a moment of glory.

In Class 6A baseball, Liberty found itself down to District 1 runner-up West Chester Henderson 2-0 after four innings and 2-1 through five. But the Hurricanes stormed back with four runs in the sixth and tacked on six more in the seventh to pull out a 11-3 win.

Dylan Metzgar sparked a 13-hit attack by going 3-for-3 with four RBIs. He had a three-run double to break a 2-2 tie in the sixth and added an RBI single in the seventh.

Liberty (21-6) also scored on a bases-loaded walk by Franklin Pichardo in the sixth, and Justin Frey delivered a two-run single in the seventh. Frey, Willie Cruz, and Pichardo each had two hits for the Hurricanes, who will face District 3 champ Gov. Mifflin, last year’s 5A state champion, in Thursday’s quarterfinals. That game is set for 11 a.m. at DeSales University.

West Chester Henderson's Sam Prior tags out Liberty's Jackson Donatelli at third base on Monday. Photo by Tom Silknitter.West Chester Henderson’s Sam Prior tags out Liberty’s Jackson Donatelli at third base on Monday. Photo by Tom Silknitter.

Gov. Mifflin (26-1) advanced with a 6-1 win over Perkiomen Valley in its first-round game.

Mikey Mariano Jr., scattered five hits, walked one, and struck out five in a complete-game win for Liberty.

Nazareth’s softball team had an even more stunning rally. The Blue Eagles (20-6) trailed District 1 power North Penn 5-0 after two innings and were still down 5-4 going to the top of the seventh when they struck for three runs.

With two out, Alina Weaver, who homered in the third, hit a two-run home run to give Nazareth the lead, and Shauna McNamee followed with a solo blast. Kylie Grover, who scattered seven hits, worked out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh with help from left fielder Lily Moretti, who caught a flyball and doubled off a runner at second to end it.

Nazareth second baseman Alina Weaver, 1, right celebrates after doubling up North Penn's Mady Archer, 8, at second base for the final out of the bottom of the seventh inning to give Nazareth a 7-5 victory in their PIAA-6A first round game on Monday, June 2, 2025 at North Penn High School. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)Nazareth second baseman Alina Weaver, 1, right celebrates after doubling up North Penn’s Mady Archer, 8, at second base for the final out of the bottom of the seventh inning to give Nazareth a 7-5 victory in their PIAA-6A first round game on Monday, June 2, 2025 at North Penn High School. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)

Weaver went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and had five RBIs. McNamee, a Moravian commit, had three hits and an RBI.

PIAA baseball

Notre Dame-Green Pond (17-9) continued its remarkable run by beating Philadelphia Academy Charter 11-4 in a Class 3A first-round game at DeSales. The Crusaders scored three runs in the third, two in the fourth, and after PAC tallied three runs in the fifth, Notre Dame put the game away with six in the sixth.

Sophomore Jason Frederick continued to enjoy playing at DeSales where his grandfather, Tim Neiman, became a legendary coach. Frederick had three hits, including a double, and scored twice. Christian Rivituso had two hits, scored two runs, and knocked in a run. Clemente Cintron set the tone atop the order with two hits, including a double, and two runs scored.

Michael Martino earned the win on the mound by allowing just three hits in five innings. He walked five and struck out six. Rivituso worked two innings in relief, allowing four hits with two strikeouts.

The Crusaders face District 3 champ Berks Catholic (19-7) in Thursday’s quarterfinals. That game is set for 4 p.m. at Methacton High School in Eagleville, Montgomery County.

In the 5A game Monday night at DeSales, Bangor showed its resiliency by getting a two-run, two-out double by Dylan Keith in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie its game against Hatboro-Horsham at 3.

After the Hatters scored three runs in the fourth, Slaters pitchers Noah Koza and Gino Merlo combined to toss five scoreless before Hatboro pushed across an unearned run in the top of the 10th. Bangor went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 10th and had its season end with a 4-3 loss. The Slaters finished 13-12.

PIAA softball

Easton’s amazing run to the District 11 championship couldn’t carry on in the state tournament.

Council Rock South beat the Red Rovers 1-0 late in the regular season and beat Easton again, this time by a 4-1 score.

The Red Rovers, who finished 15-10, were held to two hits — one of them being a Thalia Burns home run. Senior Audrey Rinda, who allowed just one run in four district tournament games, allowed just three hits and two earned runs. She walked eight and struck out 11 in a 156-pitch effort.

District 11 5A champ Southern Lehigh also had its season end as the Spartans fell at home, 4-1, to Springfield-Delco. No details available on that game. Southern Lehigh finished 16-8.

 

Originally Published: June 3, 2025 at 11:36 AM EDT