With one out, Welch singled and Tyler Durelle ran for him at first base. Jace Johnson followed with an RBI double to the right-center power alley, scoring Durelle to cut the lead to 4-2. Luke Pauga singled to left to plate Johnson and the comeback was on.

Cienega starting pitcher Cole Bramhall was pulled in favor of reliever Jake Ortiz, who struggled immediately.

Jake Kelley singled to put two runners on. Trevor Felan notched a base hit and Cameron Bracke delivered a huge two-run knock, giving Liberty their first lead of the game.

"I think the whole team collectively exhaled at that point," Raymond said. "Then we started doing well when we got into hitter’s counts."

Pinch hitter Kyle Lewis delivered an RBI single. J.D. Wadleigh reached on an error that scored another run. Welch then delivered the three-run homer that effectively put the game out of reach for Cienega.

Johnson and Pauga both scored again in the frame before the Bobcats finally escaped.

When the dust settled, Liberty had turned a 4-1 deficit into a 12-4 lead. They batted around, knocking out nine hits and plating 11 runs.

But the Northwest Region champions were not done, tacking on four more in the sixth to end the game an inning early. Jeremey Davidson, Kai Tuita and Wadleigh all singled to load the bases and set the stage for Welch.

He didn’t disappoint, sending the Liberty fans home happy after crushing a Nico Orlando offering off the back of the softball scoreboard over the left field wall. The grand slam gave Welch 7 RBIs in the game, all in the last two innings.

"Once you get to the bullpen, anything can happen," Welch said.

His head coach said the work off the field is paying dividends for the 6-3, 220-pound catcher.

"His work ethic is tremendous. Brady puts the time in," Raymond said. "It makes me happy to see it pay off for him in the playoffs."

Welch had three hits — two homers and single — knocked in seven and score three runs. Pauga had two hits and scored twice. Felan added two hits and reached safely in all four of his plate appearances. Bracke tallied two RBIs.

Midway through the game, it looked like the visiting, 13th-seeded Bobcats (12-17) might pull off a shocking upset. The Lions were off balance at the plate and had no hits off Bramhall through four innings.

Liberty junior starter Chandler Murphy, an Arizona commit, was battling but allowed a run in the top of the first and three more in the top of the fifth. Devin Garrett walked with one out and Terrell Huggins blooped a single into the outfield. Luis Morales walked and Luke Morrison chopped a single into right, plating Garrett and giving Cienega a 2-1 lead.

Wyatt Wingstad added a sac fly then Morales trotted home on a fielding miscue by Liberty’s Johnson.

Down by three runs, Liberty’s collective body language was not great but that all changed following an incredible bottom of the fifth.

Isaiah Montoya (three strikeouts in 1.1 IP) took the win in relief for Liberty while Cienega’s Ortiz was tagged with the loss. Murphy went 4.2 innings, allowing four hits, four runs (three earned) while walking four and fanning seven.

"That kid (Murphy) has so much heart. He’s a young man with a ton of ability and he was grinding for us today," Raymond said. "He gave us a chance to come back."

Liberty's Luke Pauga hits for a single against Cienega on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Liberty High School in Peoria. [Jacob Stanek/West Valley Preps][/caption]