SUGAR GROVE – The Bloom-Carroll and Liberty Union softball teams punched their tickets to the state tournament with dominating regional championship wins on Friday, May 29, at Berne Union High School.
The Bulldogs cruised past Jonathan Alder, 15-0 in five innings to take home the Division III regional title. They hit four home runs in the game.
Bloom-Carroll wasted no time jumping out in front of the Pioneers by scoring four runs in the first inning, two in the second, three in the third, and exploded for six runs in the fourth inning.
Madelyn Gates finished with two hits, including a grand slam and a double, and she had four RBIs. Emma Brandt had two hits, including a two-run home run; Addison Brown had a two-run home run; and Madison Kellett had a home run, a double, and two RBIs. Maddi Walters and Hayden Hubner chipped in with two hits each. The Bulldogs finished with 14 hits in the game.
Brandt was outstanding in the circle. In five innings of work, she gave up three hits and struck out 11.
Bloom-Carroll (24-4) will face Greenville at 12:30 p.m. on June 5 in a state semifinal game at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. The Division III state final is June 6 at 8 p.m.
Liberty Union (26-1) won its 17th consecutive game after beating Johnstown 9-2 in a Division V regional final. The Lions will make their third consecutive trip to the Final Four. They won a state title in 2204 and were state runners-up in 2025.
Liberty Union scored a run in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead and pushed it 3-0 in the fourth inning on Emilyn Kanet’s two-run home run. The Lions scored five runs in the sixth inning, thanks to Cobie Weaver’s two-run single, and Alexis McCoy hit a three-run home run. The Lions added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. Johnstown (23-7-1)scored its two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Suzie Shultz picked up the win in the circle as she went the distance.
Liberty Union will take on Canfield South Range at 12:30 p.m. on June 6 in a state semifinal game at Akron’s Firestone Stadium. The Division V state championship game is June 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on X at twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Bloom-Carroll and Liberty Union punch ticket to state tournament
Reporting by Tom Wilson, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette / Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
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