Hurricanes storm to crown
Liberty wins its first league title in 20 years in dominant fashion
Liberty High School’s last league baseball championship came in 2003 and in the decades since, the Hurricanes have done a lot of knocking on the door of other titles.
On Thursday night, Liberty didn’t just knock on the door at DeSales University’s Weiland Park, it took it totally off its hinges.
Completing one of the most dominant league tournament performances in area baseball history, the Hurricanes used a one-hitter by senior pitcher John Galgon and ripped 14 hits in whipping top-seeded Parkland 10-0 for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference crown in a championship game shortened to six innings by the mercy rule.
The lopsided victory capped an EPC tournament for Liberty in which it outscored its three foes 34-4.
The second-seeded Hurricanes (17-4) won their eighth straight game since a 4-0 loss to Hazleton in which Liberty was no-hitted.
In the EPC tournament, the Hurricanes had 40 hits over three games.
“We’ve been preaching line drives and no fly balls and we play on a field with no fence, so we’ve been practicing a lot as far as getting that kind of stuff done,” Liberty coach Andy Pitsilos said after getting his first league gold since a Lehigh Valley Conference championship in his first season as coach. “This is our second season with these guys and they’re real disciplined at the plate and when they get their pitch, they can’t waste it.”
After losing 3-1 to Pleasant Valley in the 2021 semifinals and 1-0 to Nazareth in last year’s EPC final four, the Hurricanes were determined to not get shut down again. Not even having a runner thrown out at third and another
caught in a rundown between home and third could slow them down.
They went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, but had a hit in every inning from there on and scored four times in both the second and sixth. Every member of the starting lineup had a hit. Four went for extra bases including a triple by No. 9 hitter Tommy Mason with two out in the fourth that led to two runs.
Mason, who was also the quarterback for the Liberty football team, had an RBI single and was hit by a pitch and scored three runs.
“We’re calling him ‘Playoff Tom’ because he did the same thing last year,” Pitsilos said. “He wasn’t hitting at the end of the regular season and then came alive in the playoffs. But I guess that’s what happens when you’re in those Friday night lights and you’re the quarterback. You’re used to that kind of situation and he’s a great kid and he’s hitting the ball right now.”
On a cool night that felt like football weather, Mason felt comfortable.
“All season we’ve been worrying about our approach and what our approach should be and what we should be swinging at and looking for,” Mason said. “We’ve been working on trying to get our bats going. Tonight was a great show of what we’ve been able to do all season.”
No. 8 hitter Tate George also came up big with two hits and had a key two-run single in the big four-run second.
“One through nine, they’re as tough a lineup as I’ve seen in the years that I’ve been coaching,” Parkland coach Kurt Weber said. “You need some luck. You need to have some balls hit right at somebody, you need some bounces to go your way. You know you’re going to get their share of hits. They hit the ball pretty well all night and pitched well.”
While Liberty’s offense was relentless, a Parkland team that had won 13 straight games never could sustain a threat.
Galgon, a crafty lefty, retired the first eight hitters he faced before Dylan Fili walked with two out in the third. Michael Cole singled to left for the Trojans’ first and last hit. Two errors, a hit batter and two wild pitches gave Parkland a chance, but Galgon was able to escape and finish the game on 95 pitches, 59 of which went for strikes.
With a record of 7-0 and an 0.39 ERA, Galgon has had a season to remember after having to watch all last year while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
“I have a great team around me and they made every play behind me,” Galgon said. “I think we have the best defense in the EPC and I know every ball they hit is going to get caught. If I have every pitch moving, I’m confident in myself and I had every pitch tonight. And I give up something, I know with our offense we’re going to get it back.”
Galgon, who walked two and struck out seven, said it’s an amazing feeling to remember that he was watching last year and now he’s contributing.
“I’m getting my shot and it’s awesome,” he said. “It was worth the wait. I’d do it all over again if I could.”
Both Liberty and Parkland will have to wait until May 28 to play again – in the District 11 6A tournament.
Both teams advance straight into the semifinals and the Hurricanes are expected to get either Emmaus or Northampton in their semifinal while the Trojans will await the winner of a quarterfinal round game between Nazareth and Freedom.
The brackets are expected to be revealed on Saturday.
Both head coaches vowed to arrange scrimmages to stay sharp over the 10-day break.
“We can’t worry about when our next game is,” Mason said. “We just have to keep working hard in practice.”
“Everyone has a great workethic and no one’s going to let up,” Galgon said. “We’ll be ready.”