Liberty softball is in Bowling Green, Kentucky where the Lady Flames are seeking its second straight CUSA tournament championship and seventh conference title of all-time. Liberty enters the tournament field as the No. 1 overall seed and is one of six teams that advanced to the CUSA Championship and those teams now play a double elimination tournament this week culminating with a winner take all championship game Saturday.
All games will be streamed on ESPN+ with the exception of the championship game which will air on CBS Sports Network. We will be providing updates throughout the week on all the action in Bowling Green so check back here for the updates every day this week.
Wednesday, Day One, May 7, 2025 (ESPN+)
Game 1: (#3) Jax State 11, (#6) Sam Houston 0 (5 innings)
The Gamecocks jumped all over Sam Houston’s first-team All-CUSA pitcher Abigail Young, scoring four runs off her in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by Makalyn Kyser’s three-run home run. Young, who entered the postseason with a 1.66 ERA, didn’t escape the first inning and the four runs surrendered were the most she allowed in a single outing this season. Jax State continued to pour it on early and often, scoring in each of the first four innings and hitting four home runs during that time as the lead exploded to 11-0. Meanwhile, Jaliyah Holmes pitched a complete game shutout, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out two in the win.
Game 2: (#4) Louisiana Tech 5, (#5) New Mexico State 4
Freshman catcher Addison Snyder blasted her first career home run, a two-run, walk-off shot to dead center to cap Louisiana Tech’s win over New Mexico State. The Bulldogs overcame a 4-1 deficit with four runs, all with two outs, the final frame. Reagan Marchant began the comeback with a two-run shot to right center for her 18th homer of the season. New Mexico State’s Riley Carley gave her team a 4-1 advantage with a three-run, two-out home run in the top half of the seventh.
Game 3: (#6) Sam Houston 5, (#5) New Mexico State 3 (New Mexico State eliminated)
Jenny Robinson was 3 for 3 with three RBI for the Bearkats to help push them past New Mexico State in the first elimination game of the week. Bella Perez hit a solo home run, her 13th of the season, in the third inning, to push the lead to 2-0. In the fifth, Robinson and Brodie Quinian left the yard to push the lead to 5-0. The Aggies were held off the board for six innings before attempting to mount a comeback in the seventh. Desirae Spearman launched her 20th home run of the season, a three-run shot to cut the deficit to two. Later in the frame, NMSU would put the tying run on base and bring the winning run to the plate before freshman Tamara Carranza grounded to finish the game.
Thursday, May 8 (ESPN+)
Game 4: (#3) Jax State 2, (#2) Western Kentucky 1
Makalyn Kyser picked up where she left off Wednesday with a two-run, two-out home run in the top of the third to give the Gamecocks the early 2-0 lead. The host Hilltoppers got on the scoreboard with a run in the e bottom of the third, scoring on a wild pitch. WKU also put two runners on base with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but JSU’s Kat Carter got a strikeout to end the threat. Carter then worked around a two-out single in the 7th to seal the win.
Game 5: (#1) Liberty 8, (#4) Louisiana Tech 0 (6 innings)
The reigning champs and top seed Lady Flames jumped on top of Louisiana Tech in the first inning and did not look back. Liberty plated five runs in the first inning, started by a leadoff home run by Savannah Woodard. KK Madrey plated two on a triple and then scores herself on a sacrifice pop-out in foul territory. Rachel Craine would then score on Savannah Jessee’s double as Liberty batted around and chased Louisiana Tech’s starting pitcher.
Mattison Buster was strong in relief for the Bulldogs. She pitched 2.1 scoreless innings to allow Louisiana Tech to stay within striking distance. Liberty would then begin to find the way against Buster. JaMaya Byrum would blast a pitch beyond the left field wall in the fourth to push the lead to 6-0, and Brooke Roberts hit the Flames’ third solo home run in the fifth to make it 7-0.
CUSA Pitcher of the Year Elena Escobar dazzled in the circle for Liberty. She tossed a complete game shutout while allowing three hits while striking out five and not issuing a walk while earning her 20th win of the season. Liberty would get the run-rule victory after Rachel Roupe walked with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 6th.
Game 6: (#2) Western Kentucky 3, (#6) Sam Houston 2 (Sam Houston eliminated)
Kennedy Stinson got the scoring started with a solo home run in the second, but the Bearkats flipped the game with a two-run blast from Morgan Holiday in the fourth inning. Stinson and Maci Masters led off the ensuing half inning with back-to-back doubles to tie it up, and Masters crossed home plate on a sac fly from Kendle White for the eventual winning run. WKU freshman pitcher Erica Houge notched her sixth save of the season after tossing three no-hit innings with four strikeouts and just one walk to close out the game.
Friday, May 9 (ESPN+)
Game 7: (#3) Jax State 7, (#1) Liberty 2
After two scoreless innings between starting pitchers Kaylan Yoder and Kat Carter, Jax State struck first with Amber Reed’s three-run home run to left center off Yoder, putt the Gamecocks ahead, 3-0. Liberty attempted to fight back in the bottom half of the third as Savannah Woodard doubled and then Rachel Roupe was hit by a pitch to get two on base with one out, but Carter was able to get out of the jam unscathed. Emma Elrod would add to the 3-seed’s lead with a solo blast in the top of the fourth. Reed hit her second home run of the game in the fifth inning, a solo blast to left as Jax State took a commanding 5-0 lead. The Gamecocks would continue to pile on, adding two more runs in the sixth inning and chasing Bachman from the game as freshman Danner Allen was the third Liberty pitcher to enter.
Carter was very impressive, allowing just three hits over five innings while keeping the loaded Liberty lineup off the scoreboard. In the sixth, the heart of the Liberty lineup finally got to Carter some. Brynn McManus and KK Madrey reached on singles and moved to second and third with just one out. They would both score on Paige Doerr’s double to put the Lady Flames on the scoreboard. Carter would bounce back from there though, retiring the next five batters of the game to close out the win. She pitched 7 innings while allowing 6 hits and 2 runs to propel the Gamecocks to Saturday’s Championship.
Game 8: (#4) Louisiana Tech 6, (#2) Western Kentucky 4 (8 innings) (WKU eliminated)
After suffering a calf strain on Wednesday, Louisiana Tech pitcher Allie Floyd returned to the lineup for this elimination game and she fired 149 pitches in a complete game effort. The back and forth affair saw four lead changed from the third through sixth innings. The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, setting up a two-run single through the left side from Claire Raley to regain the lead for the Bulldogs. Marchant added an RBI single in the sixth to provide some much needed insurance, but the HIlltoppers quickly answered with two to tie it in the home half of the inning. Randin Drinnon singled in a run and a wild pitch allowed Anniston Gray to score.
Game 9: (#1) Liberty 2, (#4) Louisiana Tech 1 (10 innings)
It was a marathon game with both teams exchanging blows throughout the evening in an instant classic. Elena Escobar and Alyssa Martin went toe-to-toe for all 10 innings with neither team able to scratch together enough to pull out the win.
Both teams scored a single run in the fourth inning with Brooke Roberts and Paige Doerr posting doubles for the Lady Flames that tied it in the home half of the inning. There were multiple opportunities for each squad to eek out the win, but it was Liberty that got the job done. Doerr roped an RBI single int he bottom of the 10th with one out and the bases loaded to score Lilly Heidorn as Liberty advances to the championship game.
Saturday, May 10
Game 10: (#3) Jax State vs (#1) Liberty, 1 p.m. CBS Sports Network
It is a rematch of Friday’s winner’s bracket semifinals where the Gamecocks got the best of the regular season champs and the No. 1 seed Liberty. The Lady Flames swept Jax State during the regular season, winning the three games in Jacksonville, Alabama by a score of 3-0, 12-3 (6 innings), and 5-2. Liberty is looking to become the first team since East Carolina (2010-11) won back to back CUSA Championship titles and also looking for the program’s fourth conference tournament title in the past five seasons. Jax State is aiming for its first ever CUSA Softball Championship.
*photo courtesy Conference USA
