PIRATES COMEBACK FALLS JUST SHORT

COCOA BEACH FL- Perry nearly pulled off the comeback Tuesday but came up just short, falling 5-4 to Olentangy Liberty after digging into a four-run hole early.

Liberty jumped all over things in the bottom of the first, stringing together a flurry of RBI knocks. Kailey McGinnis, Hailey Massie, Avery Garrett, and Karoline Jordan all drove in runs to make it 4-0 right out of the gate.

Massie added another RBI with a double in the third to stretch the lead to five.

But the Pirates didn’t go away. They chipped away with a sac fly, an RBI walk, a run-scoring double, and a groundout to cut it to one, but couldn’t scratch anything across late.

Madelyn Rupert got the start in the circle for Perry, going four innings, giving up six hits and five runs—only three earned. She struck out one and walked one. Emily Chevalier went the distance for Liberty, holding Perry to four runs (two earned) across seven innings, fanning four and walking three.

Sophie Sivon sparked the bottom of the Perry lineup, going 2-for-3 from the nine-hole. Elise Strahan, Rosalyn Tharp, and Morgan Winters each knocked in a run. Perry also flashed some leather, turning a double play.

For Liberty, Massie was a force—2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. She and Aubrey Del Cecato each had two hits, and Izzy Matteo swiped two bags as Liberty racked up four steals on the day.

Perry hits the road Tuesday for a showdown with Central Crossing.