Both coaches saw some promising play, but also recognized their teams must continue to improve.

After beating the Leopards 21-0 earlier in the week, Crestview may have entered the rematch a little loose.

Liberty made the Rebels work for this one, scoring twice in each of the first three innings for a 6-1 lead.

“They came out and punched us in the face,” said Crestview coach Greg Eskra, whose team improved to 4-3 overall and 4-0 in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Gray Tier. “This is proof that you can’t take any team lightly. Every day is a different day. They came out and put the pressure on us. Their girls rose to the occasion.”

Staff photo / Brad Emerine Crestview freshman relief pitcher Brooke Brubaker reads her wristband during the Rebels' win over Liberty.

“We battled,” said Liberty coach Brett Fine, whose troops fell to 1-3 and 0-2. “We’re up 6-1 on a team we lost to 21-0 a few days ago, and I think the girls just thought they were going to waltz away with the win. That’s not going to happen. It doesn’t work that way.”

Kaedyn Sutton, the Rebels’ No. 1 pitcher who pitched Thursday and is expected to pitch in a game today, started at first base in this contest. But she did get the guests off to a good start, hitting a two-out solo home run in the top of the first inning. She also doubled, singled, scored three times and drove in two runs.

Liberty responded in the bottom of the first as Kenz McBride hit a two-out double, Ally Jones walked and Lilly Boylen drove both home with a single to right.

Crestview starting pitcher McKenna Schultz walked Allysa Helco and Attaya Rhodes in the second and Krysten Fine’s infield single loaded the bases for McBride, who knocked in a pair with her second double in two innings.

Liberty began the third by putting a pair of runners on base via an error and a hit-batter.

That’s when Eskra made a pitching change, with Schultz moving to shortstop and freshman Brooke Brubaker summoned to the circle.

“McKenna struggled a bit and she’s usually on her game,” Eskra said. “She’s our No. 2. But Brooke came in and was great. We let those two runs in, but she did great. She also hit very well for us and helped us pull out the win.”

Brubaker pitched the final five innings, allowing one hit and three walks while striking out eight.

In the decisive fourth inning, Crestview sent 12 batters to the plate and the first nine scored. The Rebels had singles by Brubaker, Katie Lissi, Alexis Smith, Joannie Wood, Shianna Mathes and Schultz. Lissi also had a sacrifice fly and Jensyn Seabrook added a sacrifice that scored a run. The Rebels also scored on a double-steal and the Leopards made four of their six errors in the uprising behind pitcher Krysten Fine.

“Unfortunately, you can’t give teams nine outs in an inning, let alone four,” coach Fine said. “If you give up nine in an inning, it’ll bite you for sure every time. You might be able to overcome an error or two, but not that many. Overall, with Krysten battling through back pains, I thought she threw pretty well and made them hit their way on board. She only walked two.”

It was a positive sign for Crestview.

“We were fortunate they made some defensive mistakes and we got some timely hitting,” said Eskra, whose team has two freshmen among five first-year varsity starters. “I was pleased with the fourth inning because we strung some hits together, which is an area we had been lacking. We haven’t been consistently hitting the ball. In that inning, we did that. We put it in play, put pressure on the defense and just hit the ball throughout the lineup. We needed that.”

That also enabled Brubaker and the Rebels to return to defense with all the confidence and momentum.

“You have to have confidence in yourself and your team that you can make plays and shut the door on teams,” Brubaker said. “It helped that we bounced back in one big inning. I know we are capable of having big innings and I’m happy we did it today.

“I think this will bring us together because until now, we’ve either blown teams out or been blown out. This is proof we can do it in the clutch and come from behind.”

Smith finished with three hits, with Schultz and Wood both contributing two. Schultz, who had a two-run single in the fourth, also tripled and had three RBI.

McBride finished with half of the Leopards’ six hits.

“We did make progress tonight,” coach Fine said. “I just want to be competitive in games, especially league games. I expect the girls to keep improving every game. I know we will. We’re a couple steps away and these girls really work hard.”