BRENTWOOD — For the first time in 28 years, Liberty is heading to a North Coast Section final.
The Brentwood school advanced to its first NCS championship game since 1997 after beating Foothill 3-1 in a hard-fought semifinal at home on Wednesday. Liberty (22-5), the bracket’s top seed, will play No. 3 Casa Grande in the championship game on Friday at St. Mary’s College.
“There’s so much pride,” Liberty coach Brandi Macias said. “These girls have so much heart and soul and love for each other and to see them put it all together at the end and do what I know they’re capable of doing is special.”
Liberty infielder Kelsie Skaggs (4) and starting pitcher Kate Skinner (12) celebrate their 3-1 win against Foothill High after the last strikeout in the seventh inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty’s Kate Skinner was dominant in the circle. The Illinois State-bound junior struck out 11 and gave up five hits and a run.
“I was just trusting my pitches and trusting my defense behind me,” Skinner said. “I was just rolling.”
Foothill put the first run on the board in the top of the third inning when sophomore Alexa Sponsel blasted a pitch over the right-field fence.
Foothill’s Alexa Sponsel (17) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off Liberty starting pitcher Kate Skinner (12) in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
But Liberty responded in its half of the third.
With two on and no outs, sophomore Taylor Jennings reached first on a bunt while knocking in Kylee McKinney to tie the game. Two batters later, Kaitlyn Macias laid down a sacrifice bunt that brought home Jennings from third, giving Liberty a one-run lead.
Foothill had its best chance to rally in the fourth inning, but couldn’t capitalize.
With one out, Foothill loaded the bases on an error and two singles. But Skinner got out of the jam, retiring two straight batters.
“I was just trusting that my defense had my back,” Skinner said. “I was going with the pitch and not just hoping for it and I was hitting my spot.”
Liberty took a two-run lead in the fifth when sophomore Jewel Cooper singled down the left-field line, scoring Isabella Rice from third.
From there, Liberty’s defense took over.
Skinner retired the side in the fifth and sixth innings, then closed out the seventh by setting down three of four.
Liberty outfielder Isabel Mercado (2) throws the ball after making catch for an out against Foothill High in the second inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
“Kate is just a competitor, man,” Brandi Macias said. “It’s easy to call pitches when you have her on the mound, because she’s taking care of business.”
Friday’s championship game will be a full circle moment for Liberty.
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The Lions haven’t lost a game since losing to Casa Grande at the Livermore Stampede tournament in April. Since then, Liberty has rattled off 14 straight wins.
“We’re going to be locked in,” Cooper said. “We know we work better together as a team and we’re just going to continue to do that.”
Foothill’s season is not over. The Falcons will travel to Livermore on Friday to play in a third-place game for the section’s final CIF NorCal playoff spot.
Foothill’s Kaycie Burdick (7) makes a catch for an out against Foothill High in the sixth inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Foothill starting pitcher Myra Galzie (11) and catcher Jordan McCafferty (5) stand in the pitcher’s circle as they talk to one another before the start of the fourth inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Foothill catcher Jordan McCafferty (5), infielders Emily Hughes (4), and Brea Olsen (20) scramble to grab the ball after Liberty infielder Kelsie Skaggs (4) hit a bunt and drove in a run in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty infielder Kelsie Skaggs (4) bunts against Foothill catcher Jordan McCafferty (5) in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Foothill’s Alexa Sponsel (17) is welcomed home by teammates after hitting a solo home run off Liberty starting pitcher Kate Skinner (12) in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty outfielder Taylor Jennings (33) watches the ball flying over the fence on a solo homer by Foothill’s Alexa Sponsel (17) in the third inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty’s Jewel Cooper (5) celebrates a single against Foothill High in the second inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty outfielder Taylor Jennings (33) makes a catch for an out against Foothill High in the second inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty outfielder Isabel Mercado (2) makes a catch for an out against Foothill High in the second inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty infielder Kelsie Skaggs (4) fields a ground ball for an out against Foothill’s Ellie Novitske (1) in the first inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Foothill’s Sophia Burdick (2) strikes out against Liberty starting pitcher Kate Skinner (12) in the first inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty head softball coach Brandi Macias and her team celebrate their 3-1 win against Foothill High after the last strikeout in the seventh inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liberty starting pitcher Kate Skinner (12) and her teammates celebrate their 3-1 win against Foothill High after the last strikeout in the seventh inning of their North Coast Section Division I semifinal game at Foothill at Liberty High in Brentwood, Calif., on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
