Liberty 6U heading to state championship

LIBERTY — They may be small in stature and young in age, but the Liberty 6U Panthers Coach Pitch All- Star Team is making noise in Texas.

A few weeks ago, they had an unforgettable weekend at the regional tournament in Center.

Coached by Manny Tristan, Mikayla Johnston, James Kelly King and Jake Pennington, this talented group of young athletes demonstrated incredible determination, teamwork and heart.

After dropping their first game of the tournament against Willis, the Liberty team came back to win five games in a row, winning the tournament and advancing to the State Championship Series against Paris this weekend.

The roster includes Ikey Dean King, Jameson Moses, Greyson Hard, Baylor Pennington, Beckett Tristan, Jude Johnston, Jack Fregia, Julian Hernandez, Jaggar Daigle, Easton Harrison, Stetson Baldwin and Cass Elliott.

Throughout the tournament, the Panthers played a total of six games, dropping only one.

Championship Monday proved to be a true test of endurance and grit, as the team was required to win three consecutive games in the heat of the day.

They came out swinging with a big 20-12 win over Willis, followed by backto- back victories over Huffman in the championship series, 16-2 and 133, to secure the regional championship title.

Now, the Liberty 6U Panthers are headed to Longview over the Fourth of July weekend to compete in the State Championship Series. This hardworking team of future stars is excited about the opportunity to represent their community on a larger stage.

“They have great chemistry together and play as a team,” said Karlie Steadham, one of the team moms.” This is a really good team, and they are the future of Liberty baseball. They play hard and are having fun.”

The Liberty 6U team will kick off their series on Saturday in Longview against Paris in a best two-out-of-three series. The winner will advance to the National Tournament and a trip to North Carolina at the end of July.