Liberal Softball Hopes to Bolster Pitching

Liberal High School junior Jenna Ormiston has proven she can pitch.  She was a second team all WAC player in 2021 and shouldered  the pitching duties almost exclusively for 7-14 Liberal.  But in 2022, there is help on the way with freshman Zoey Torres joining Ormiston in the circle for the Redskins.  Tom McClure enters his fourth year and third season as head coach with question marks after losing seven seniors from a team which broke a 65 game WAC losing streak last year which dated back to 2012.  But more depth in the circle makes Liberal more of a threat to win game 2’s of WAC double headers than they had been.

McClure is hoping junior Jenna Ormiston and freshman Zoey Torres become the WAC’s top 1-2 punch in the circle for the next two years.  Zoey will pitch some to her sister senior Leilani Torres and sophomore Lizzie Mannel at catcher.  Torreis isn’t the only freshman in the varsity mix as freshman Lexi Miller plays first and freshman move in from Oklahoma Taylor Harding at short.  Junior Lizzy Cisneros brings experience at 2nd and senior Jaciana Rivera and Zoey Torres are front runners for the hot corner at third base.  Senior Amya Blake looks to anchor center field.  As for the corner outfield slots, look for junior Aryanna Hubbard and sophomores Madeline McCarter and Maedeen McClure.  Liberal has four seniors and four juniors out for softball.  Liberal’s numbers are down a bit for the sport with 23 out for softball.

Liberal had a winning season at 12-9 in 2019, didn’t play in 2020, and went 9-12 in 2021 and won their first WAC game in nine years.  They open Thursday at home with Ulysses.

Here are Liberal’s records for the past 12 seasons.

2021- 9-12

2019- 12-9

2018- 8-13

2017- 6-15

2016- 6-15

2015- 1-20

2014- 0-19

2013- 7-14

2012- 9-12

2011- 6-15

2010- 3-18

2009- 6-15

2008- 6-15