Deer Valley jumped ahead 2-0 in the fourth inning thanks to a huge RBI double off the bat of catcher Rachael Martinez and an RBI single by second baseman Therese Gascon-Minton.
Despite the 2-0 deficit, the Falcons, who hadn't allowed a run in their previous five games, continued to play within themselves, execute, and do all the little things necessary to manufacture runs against Emily Allard, one of the top pitchers in the league.
Sophomore sensation Hannah Williams, one of the league's top pitchers, did her part to erase the Wolverine lead. Williams led off the home half of the fourth with a sharp single to left field, setting the stage for Freedom to score on a Deer Valley error and a pair of fielder's choices.
"Emily is a very good pitcher and we had some trouble with her the first round. I think we just came together and manufactured some runs and really played well," Williams said of battling back from the 2-0 hole and overtaking the Wolverines. "I just went in their reminding myself not to be over-anxious, to wait for my pitch and to hit it hard."
Two innings later, Williams sparked a big three-run rally with a ground-ball double through the left side of the infield that came off the bat so hard it managed to skip through the infield, rocketed between converging outfielders and hit the base of the left centerfield before popping more than 10 feet in the air and was finally fielded.
A five-pitch walk by Danielle Gomez and a fielder's choice at third base off the bat of Melissa Coe brought sophomore Susan Robertson to the plate with runners on first and second with just one out. Robertson promptly drove the first pitch she saw for a solid single to right field and set the stage for a dramatic play at the plate.
Down just a single run and with just one out, Gomez was digging hard for home plate as soon as Robertson's single was through the infield. Deer Valley right fielder Jessica Pader fielded the ball and came up gunning for the force out at first base despite Gomez charging hard around third base. By the time first baseman Katelyn Kline got the relay throw to home, Gomez was already right on top of Martinez, sliding through her and knocking her to the dirt. Gomez was safe at the plate and the ball scooted past to the backstop, allowing Coe to score right behind her, putting Freedom ahead 3-2.
Robertson, who advanced all the way to third base when the ball trickled past Martinez, came around to score an insurance run when Gascon-Minton booted a routine ground ball on the very next pitch.
As impressive as Williams was at the plate, she was even more impressive in the circle, holding a potent Deer Valley offense to just two runs and striking out 11 in the win. No strikeout was more emotional than the "K" she hung on outfielder Chelsea Brandt for the final out of the game, as she reached back for something extra to punctuate the win.
"Yeah, I was (eager to strike her out)," said Williams. "Everybody was talking and pumping me up and it felt real good."
With the win, Freedom extended its lead over Clayton Valley to a game and a half in the BVAL standings with just two games to play, which assures the Falcons, barring a monumental upset this week at the hands of Antioch (3-11, 6-13) or Ygnacio Valley (0-11), their sixth consecutive league crown.
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