Kate Skinner strikes out 11 as Liberty beats Foothill to clinch NCS title game berth

BRENTWOOD For the first time in years Liberty is heading to a North Coast Section final The Brentwood school advanced to its first NCS championship event since after beating Foothill - in a hard-fought semifinal at home on Wednesday Liberty - the bracket s top seed will play No Casa Grande in the championship tournament on Friday at St Mary s College There s so much pride Liberty coach Brandi Macias declared These girls have so much heart and soul and love for each other and to see them put it all together at the end and do what I know they re capable of doing is special Liberty infielder Kelsie Skaggs and starting pitcher Kate Skinner celebrate their - win against Foothill High after the last strikeout in the seventh inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal challenge at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty pitcher Kate Skinner was dominant in the circle The Illinois State-bound junior struck out and gave up five hits and a run to lead Liberty to the win I was just trusting my pitches and trusting my defense behind me Skinner explained I was just rolling Foothill put the first run on the board in the top of the third inning when sophomore Alexa Sponsel blasted a pitch over the right field fence to put the Falcons up a run Foothill s Alexa Sponsel rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Liberty starting pitcher Kate Skinner in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal encounter at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group But Liberty responded in its half of the third With two on and no outs Liberty sophomore Taylor Jennings reached first on a bunt and scored Kylee McKinney to tie the match Two batters later Kaitlyn Macias laid down a sacrifice bunt that brought home Jennings from third giving Liberty a one-run lead Foothill had its best chance to put more runs on the board in the fourth inning but couldn t capitalize With one out Foothill ascertained a way to load the bases on an error and two singles But Skinner discovered a way to get out of the jam retiring two straight batters to get out of the inning I was just trusting that my defense had my back Skinner reported I was going with the pitch and not just hoping for it and I was hitting my spot Liberty took a two-run lead in the fifth when sophomore Jewel Cooper singled down the left field line scoring Isabella Rice from third From there Liberty s defense took over the championship Skinner retired the side in the fifth and sixth innings then closed out the seventh by setting down three of four to seal the win Liberty outfielder Isabel Mercado throws the ball after making catch for an out against Foothill High in the second inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal championship at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Kate is just a competitor man Brandi Macias stated It s easy to call pitches when you have her on the mound because she s taking care of business Friday s championship championship will be a full circle moment for Liberty Related Articles NCS roundup Acalanes takes charge in first upsets Cardinal Newman in D-II semifinals Hayden Hummel s HR ignites St Francis into CCS Open softball final CCS roundup Santa Clara outlasts Branham in nine-inning baseball thriller NCS roundup College Park reaches first NCS D-I baseball final in a decade Alanna Clincy pitches complete competition hits two-run double as Willow Glen advances to CCS Open title battle The Lions haven t lost a contest since losing to Casa Grande at the Livermore Stampede tournament in April Since then Liberty has rattled off straight wins We re going to be locked in Cooper reported We know we work better together as a gang and we re just going to continue to do that Foothill s season will not end just yet The Falcons will expedition to Livermore on Friday to play in a third-place contest for the section s final CIF NorCal playoff spot Foothill s Kaycie Burdick makes a catch for an out against Foothill High in the sixth inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal championship at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Foothill starting pitcher Myra Galzie and catcher Jordan McCafferty stand in the pitcher s circle as they talk to one another before the start of the fourth inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal meeting at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Foothill catcher Jordan McCafferty infielders Emily Hughes and Brea Olsen scramble to grab the ball after Liberty infielder Kelsie Skaggs hit a bunt and drove in a run in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal challenge at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty infielder Kelsie Skaggs bunts against Foothill catcher Jordan McCafferty in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal battle at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Foothill s Alexa Sponsel is welcomed home by teammates after hitting a solo home run off Liberty starting pitcher Kate Skinner in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal tournament at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty outfielder Taylor Jennings watches the ball flying over the fence on a solo homer by Foothill s Alexa Sponsel in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal competition at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty s Jewel Cooper celebrates a single against Foothill High in the second inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal tournament at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty outfielder Taylor Jennings makes a catch for an out against Foothill High in the second inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal tournament at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty outfielder Isabel Mercado makes a catch for an out against Foothill High in the second inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal encounter at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty infielder Kelsie Skaggs fields a ground ball for an out against Foothill s Ellie Novitske in the first inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal championship at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Foothill s Sophia Burdick strikes out against Liberty starting pitcher Kate Skinner in the first inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal event at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty head softball coach Brandi Macias and her group celebrate their - win against Foothill High after the last strikeout in the seventh inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal event at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Liberty starting pitcher Kate Skinner and her teammates celebrate their - win against Foothill High after the last strikeout in the seventh inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal event at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood Calif on Wednesday May Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group