Following a gut-punch loss on Wednesday to Virginia Tech, Liberty softball rebounded nicely with a four game sweep at the Liberty Softball Invitational including three run-rule wins. The Lady Flames have now posted three perfect weekends out of the first four weekends the team has had so far this season, improving to 16-4 on the season. Liberty has set a new program record for wins in February, finishing the month with 14, besting the previous program mark of 10 set in 2018, before adding two more victories on the first day of March. The 16-4 start is the best 20-game start to a season since going 17-3 to start the 1996 campaign. Liberty outscored opponents by a combined 40-10 during the Liberty Softball Invitational.
WEDNESDAY: #15 VIRGINIA TECH 9, #21 LIBERTY 0 (5 INNINGS)
In the first ever Top 25 matchup at Liberty Softball Stadium, No. 15 Virginia Tech blanked No. 21 Liberty in five innings, 9-0, on Wednesday evening, as Tech improved to 43-16 all-time against Liberty. The Hokies hit three first-inning homers and pitcher Emma Lemley tossed a no-hitter to roll to the win. The Hokies burst out of the games with home runs from their first two hitters. After a fly out to the warning track in right center, Virginia Tech blasted a third homer to take a 3-0 lead off Liberty freshman pitcher Danner Allen. Lemley, making a return to her home town, took it from there. After walking the first batter she faced, Savannah Woodard, she would go on to retire the next 15 batters in order to preserve the dominant win and post the no-hitter, her third of the season.
Allen drew the loss, giving up three runs on three hits while recording just one out. She had not allowed an earned run in her first 16.2 career innings entering Wednesday. Paige Bachman, who came on in relief of Allen in the first, allowed six runs, three earned, on six whits in 3.2 innings. Tyler Oubre pitched a hitless inning of relief.
FRIDAY GAME 1: #21 LIBERTY 10, DREXEL 4
Drexel tied the game at 3 on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the third. The Lady Flames would respond with three in the home half. Liberty went on to outscore Drexel, 7-1, to earn the victory. Tyler Oubre earned the win, allowing one run on five hits while walking two and a career high six strikeouts in five relief innings. KK Madrey went 2 for 3 with a homer, three RBI, three stolen bases, and three runs scored. Rachel Roupe batted 2 for 3 with a triple and two runs scored, while Paige Doerr was also 2 for 3 with one RBI and a run scored. Rachel Craine hit her first homer of the season. Liberty improved to 2-0 all-time against Drexel with the only previous meeting being a 9-2 Liberty win on Feb. 26, 2011.
FRIDAY GAME 2: #21 LIBERTY 6, GEORGETOWN 0
The Lady Flames jumped out front in the first inning and did not trail all game, backing Elena Escobar’s three-hit shutout with six runs on nine hits. Escobar tossed her fifth career shutout and first of the season, allowing three hits while tying her career-high with 10 strikeouts. Nine different Lady Flames had a base hit including Paige Doerr who became the ninth Lady Flame with a homer so far this year.
SATURDAY GAME 1: #21 LIBERTY 15, LEHIGH 5 (5 INNINGS)
Lehigh grabbed the lead in the top of the first at 2-0, but Liberty responded with nine runs in the home half, capped by a two-run Rachel Roupe home run. The Lady Flames scored three more in the second and two in the fourth to pull away for the victory in five innings. Liberty stole a program-record nine bases in the win. Danner Allen picked up the win, allowing two runs on two hits, walking three and striking out two in 2.1 innings in relief of Tyler Oubre. Katie Love, making her first appearance of the season, retired both batters she faced in the fifth. Roupe went 2 for 2 with a double, home run, three RBI and three runs scored. Rachel Craine batted 2 for 2 with a double, one RBI and one run scored. Savannah Woodard went 2 for 3 with one RBI and two runs scored. The 15 runs scored was the most runs the Flames have scored in a single game since beating Longwood, 19-3, in five innings on March 6, 2021.
SATURDAY GAME 2: #21 LIBERTY 9, APP STATE 1 (6 INNINGS)
Liberty broke open a tight, 3-1 game, scoring four times in the fourth to take a commanding 7-1 lead. Paige Doerr ended the game with a one-out, walk-off homer in the bottom of the sixth, sealing the 9-1, run-rule victory. Paige Bachman went the distance, allowing one unearned run on four hits and striking out three. Four different Lady Flames had two hits a piece in Savannah Woodard, Brooke Roberts, Paige Doerr, and Rachel Craine. Liberty is now 2-0 all-time against App State with the previous matchup being on Feb. 17, 2007.
ON TAP
Liberty plays host to in-state rival James Madison on Tuesday at 4 p.m. on ESPN+. The Lady Flames then open conference play with a three-game series at home against Kennesaw State beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
