Liberty softball finished the regular season with a 26-27 overall record and 18-9 mark in CUSA play following a sweep at Kennesaw State over the weekend. The Lady Flames finish in third place in the conference standings and will be the third seed for this week’s CUSA Softball Championship. The two-time defending CUSA champion Liberty opens play this week on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of No. 6 seed FIU and No. 7 seed Louisiana Tech. The softball tournament will be held Wednesday through Saturday in Newark, Delaware. Following this weekend’s sweep, Liberty now leads Kennesaw State 24-6 in the all-time series with the Lady Flames winning each of the last 18 meetings in a row. Liberty’s 32 runs scored in the three game series against the Owls are tied for the most runs for Liberty in a single three-game series all-time. Liberty also scored 32 runs in a three-game sweep at Queens on May 5-6, 2023.
TUESDAY: #23 VIRGINIA 4, LIBERTY 0
Virginia tossed a combined two-hit shutout of Liberty on Tuesday at Liberty Softball Stadium in the home finale for the Lady Flames. The Cavaliers jumped on the board right away with a leadoff homer from Jade Hylton in the top of the first to begin the game. UVA’s Taylor Smith (two innings) and Eden Bigham (five innings) combined to pitch a two-hit shutout, keeping the Lady Flames scoreless in the 4-0 victory. Virginia takes the season series, 2-0, marking the first time since 2014 the at UVA won both games against Liberty in a season.
Danner Allen drew the loss, yielding three runs on two hits, walking two and striking out one in 2.2 innings. Gabby Mike allowed one run on three hits, walking two and striking out two in 3.1 innings before Abigail Findlay pitched a shutout seventh inning. Dani Lee recorded the only hits for the Flames, going 2 for 3 in the game.
THURSDAY: LIBERTY 8, KENNESAW STATE 2
Liberty opened its final CUSA series with an 8-2 win over Kennesaw State on Thursday in Kennesaw, Georgia. It was Liberty’s first visit to Bailey Park since a victory over the Owls in the championship game of the 2021 ASUN Softball Championship.
After Liberty took an early 4-0 lead behind a two-run Dani Lee home run, KSU narrowed the deficit to 4-2 with a pair of runs in the fourth. The Lady Flames gained complete control of the game, scoring four times in the top of the fifth. Dani Lee drew a bases loaded walk before Brooke Roberts delivered a two-run double and Ella Fox drove in a run on a groundout.
The Lady Flames outhit the Owls, 11-3, and picked up the win despite committing four errors. Camden Anders earned the win, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits, walking two and striking out five. Brooke Roberts went 3 for 4 with two doubles, two RBI and one run scored. Alexia Carrasquillo batted 2 for 3 while Dani Lee went 1 for 3 with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored. Maci Strickland was 1 for 3 with two runs scored. Every Liberty batter reached base at least once.
FRIDAY: LIBERTY 14, KENNESAW STATE 0 (5 innings)
The Lady Flames scored 11 runs in the second inning during a 14-0, five-inning victory over the Owls on Friday. Liberty entered the second inning with a 2-0 lead before erupting for 11 runs on 10 hits in the second, also benefiting from two Kennesaw errors in the frame. The 11 run second inning was Liberty’s highest scoring inning since scoring 11 in the second inning against Ball State on March 9, 2023.
Liberty outhit the Owls, 15-1, in the game while setting a season high in runs scored and tying a season high for hits. Abigail Findlay earned the win, allowing one hit, walking four and striking out a career high seven in five innings. It was her first career shutout and Liberty’s sixth shutout of the season. Seven different Lady Flames had two hits in the game. Brynn McManus, Savannah Jessee, Alexia Carrasquillo, and Paige Doerr had two RBI each, while Dani Lee and Savannah Jessee both homered.
SATURDAY: LIBERTY 10, KENNESAW STATE 3
Liberty scored eight unanswered runs to rally for a 10-3 win over Kennesaw State to complete the series sweep. The Owls built a 3-2 lead through three innings. The Lady Flames responded with a three-run fourth, going ahead with a Savanah Whatley two-run double and adding a run on an RBI groundout by Ella Fox.
The Flames led the Owls in hits, 12-3, in the win. Danner Allen picked up the win, allowing three runs on three hits while walking three in four innings. Camden Anders claimed the save, pitching three hitless innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Paige Doerr batted 3 for 4 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored, while Brynn McManus went 1 for 4 with a homer, three RBI and one run. Alexia Carrasquilla and Dani Lee were each 2 for 4 while Brooke Roberts scored twice and drove in two runs.
ON TAP
2026 CUSA Softball Championship
Wednesday, May 6 vs No. 6 seed FIU/No. 7 seed LA Tech, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+
NOTABLE SEASON STATS
Alexia Carrasquillo…..339 batting average, 25 runs, 11 doubles, 11 HR, 44 RBI
Savannah Jessee………292 batting average, 9 doubles, 8 HR, 30 RBI
Ella Fox…………………..293 batting average, 7 doubles, 3 triples, 35 runs
Brynn McManus………292 batting average, 31 runs, 5 doubles, 9 HR, 37 RBI
Paige Doerr………………284 batting average, 29 runs, 8 doubles, 4 HR, 27 RBI
Dani Lee…………………..373 batting average, 7 doubles, 4 HR, 19 RBI
Camden Anders 12-6, 3.03 ERA, 118.0 innings pitched
Gabby Mike 2-10, 4.09 ERA, 90.2 innings pitched
Danner Allen 6-3, 5.79 ERA, 65.1 innings pitched
Abigail Findlay 5-2, 3.80 ERA, 31.1 innings pitched
CUSA STANDINGS
Jax State…………….24-3, 42-13
Western Kentucky…19-8, 37-12
Liberty………………..18-9, 26-27
Delaware……………..17-10, 30-22
FIU…………………….16-11, 34-17
New Mexico St…….16-11, 26-25
LA Tech………………15-12, 29-23
Sam Houston………13-14, 29-26
Missouri State………10-17, 22-28
Middle Tennessee…7-20, 21-30
UTEP…………………..4-23, 12-37
Kennesaw State…….3-24, 7-43
