Lifting weights. Fourteen seniors. Peaking at the right time.

All three and other factors probably contributed to Liberty winning its second baseball title since 2018. Like in 2018, the 2021 team compiled a long win streak en route to a championship celebration at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Liberty was likely the most complete baseball team in the state this year. Its opponent, Alhambra, was one of the best feel-good stories during the current Arizona high school sports year.

It became the first Phoenix Union District baseball team to play for a title in the state’s highest classification since 1985. But Tuesday belonged to Liberty, which closed its 2021 baseball chapter with a 10-0 victory in five innings in the 6A Conference final.

“I don’t think there’s an offensive performance that I can remember as a group I’ve ever coached that can come even remotely close to this,” said Liberty coach Chris Raymond, whose team won its final 19 games.

Raymond’s experienced squad averaged about 11 runs per game during that torrid stretch.

This year and last year’s seniors, whose season was cancelled, were motivating factors for Liberty to walk out as champs this year as well. 

One of the 14 seniors Liberty dressed, Carson Baker, who just happens to wear No. 14, aptly brought home the final run to initiate his team’s well-deserved on the field celebration.

Oh and it was the 14th hit (all singles) of the game for Liberty.

“Unbelievable,” said Baker about his game-ending walk-off at bat to cap his team’s five run fifth inning to invoke the mercy rule. “Before the playoffs started I was playing OK baseball and coach Raymond came up to me and he said, 'You are going to walk-off one of these games.'

“And sure enough it was the biggest game of the year. It feels awesome.”

Before travelling to Tuesday's championship game, Liberty's seniors attended their high school graduation ceremony. 

Those players donned their baseball uniforms under their caps and gowns. 

“A lot of it has to do with the seniors from last year as well who were at (today’s) game,” said Baker as he pointed to some of those former players. “We are a brotherhood. We’ve been so close since freshman year. To finally come out all together is awesome.”

Liberty’s bats were the first ones to unravel Alhambra’s starting pitcher, Marco Pacheco, who was 10-0 in his career with a .52 ERA.

It was also the first time that a team scored more than three earned runs in a game against Alhambra this season. After a 2-3 start, Raymond switched his team’s focus at the plate, becoming more of a line drive hitting team.

Liberty (21-3) never lost again after that slow start. On the mound, the team possessed the depth and talent to make a deep run.

It’s two horses, Washington State commit Kaden Schiefelbien and Ole Miss commit Traig Oughton, combined to hold Alhambra to just two hits. After allowing those two hits, Schiefelbien appeared to suffer a minor arm injury in the third inning.

Raymond didn’t hesitate to bring in Oughton so that Schiefelbien wouldn’t risk further injuring his right arm. Oughton induced four ground outs during his 1.1 innings of work.

Raymond was also quick to credit his school’s strength coach, Brian Cherry, for his team’s plate power. Six players tallied multiple hits in Tuesday’s game.

Everybody on the team can also power clean at least 225 pounds, a first for any of Raymond’s five Liberty teams. The head coach and his staff also deserve a lot of credit.

Raymond has coached two of the three championships Liberty has won. This was Liberty’s fifth appearance in the big game since 2012.

Coach Shae Clark and his staff as well deserve a tip of the cap for what Alhambra accomplished this season. The team immediately put the state on alert after an opening season win over Brophy, Alhambra’s first win over Brophy since the 1990s.

But what it did in the playoffs is what really turned heads. It started with a no-hitter by its ace with a winning smile, Daniel Avitia, who blossomed into a pitching star this year. Pacheco, just a sophomore, followed that with a win over state contender Red Mountain.

Then came the shocker, a 3-2 victory over 7-time champ Hamilton in the state semifinals. In the process, the Phoenix team also helped raise the spirits of a city that was hit hard by COVID-19.

“They (Alhambra) are a true example of grit and resilience and dedication,” Phoenix Union Superintendent Dr. Chad Gestson said. “We could not be more proud of our players and coaches.”

Because of the pandemic, the Phoenix Union District didn’t allow its teams to participate in the state playoffs until the spring season.

Once the spring season teams were given the green light, Alhambra hit the ground running—all the way to the 6A championship game. It wrapped up its uplifting run with a 23-2 record.

“Words can’t even describe how proud I am of these guys to get this far and get this community behind them the way they did,” Clark said. “It was something special. We are going to remember it forever.”

Alhambra is the first Phoenix Union District baseball team to participate in a championship game in the state’s highest classification since 1985. azpreps365 photo.