05/27/2026
RAIDERS END REDHAWKS' HISTORIC RUN IN SECTIONAL QUARTERFINALS
The expectation-defying season for the Liberty Varsity Softball team came to a close yesterday afternoon, as the No. 6 Redhawks ran into an absolute powerhouse in the quarterfinals of the Sectional tournament, falling 28-0 to the No. 3 Port Jervis Raiders.
The Redhawks knew they faced a monumental task heading into the postseason matchup. Port Jervis, a perennial OCIAA jugger-naut , had already defeated Liberty by a combined score of 43-0 in two games during the regular season. Yet, despite the lopsided scoreboard, the Redhawks left the diamond with their heads held high, representing themselves and their school with immense pride, grit, and sportsmanship.
For a brief moment at the start of the game, the Redhawks went toe-to-toe with the Raiders . Liberty put together a brilliantly clean first inning, retiring three of the first four Raiders batters they faced. However, the wheels came off in the bottom of the second. Port Jervis exploded for 16 runs in the frame, capitalizing on five hits—all singles—along with seven walks, four hit batters, and two costly Liberty errors. From there, the Raiders never looked back.
Port Jervis was led by senior ace Madison Dobbs, who was clicking on all cylinders in the circle. The perennial All-Star was flawless, retiring all 15 batters she faced to throw a perfect game. Dobbs racked up nine strikeouts while throwing a whopping 77% of her pitches for strikes. She also led the Raiders at the plate with three hits, including a double. Teammates Savannah Mioglionico and Alabama Stankewicz chipped in two hits apiece, while Charlotte Rivera tripled and singled as part of a 15-hit Port Jervis onslaught. With the victory, Port Jervis advances to face Marlboro in the Class A semifinals.
Despite the heavy pressure, several Liberty players shined in the field. Junior center fielder Maddy Stewart put her elite athleticism on full display, tracking down and ranging deep for three spectacular flyouts. Meanwhile, sophomore Charlotte Horton De Morla proved her versatility, making clutch putouts in her first-ever varsity start at shortstop.
While the final score was tough, it does nothing to diminish an unforgettable season of overachievement for Liberty. Just over 11 weeks ago, low turnout left the athletic department completely uncertain if a varsity squad could even be formed. It was then that a resilient group of student-athletes, more than half of whom had little to no prior softball experience, stepped up just to save the program.
What followed was a season of unprecedented milestones. This inexperienced squad shocked the league by winning at James I. O'Neill on April 10th for the first time in years, followed by capturing the program's first-ever Class A Divisional win on April 15th. Even when disaster struck on May 1st with a season-ending injury to standout ace pitcher and captain Angie Wheeler—forcing a depleted roster to play completely out of position—the Redhawks refused to quit.
Adopting the rallying cry of "us against the world," this team fought its way to the program's first Sectional tournament appearance since 2019. The 2026 Redhawks are a squad to be remembered. They left it all on the field, had fun, and proved that heart and dedication can write history.
