Liberty softball went a perfect 4-0 this past weekend as part of the Liberty Softball Classic. It was the first four games played at home at Liberty Softball Stadium, and the Lady Flames have improved their overall record to 5-9 this season.

FRIDAY: LIBERTY 8, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 0 (5 INNINGS)

Liberty scored six runs during the fifth inning, pulling away for a five-inning 8-0 win over NIU at Liberty Softball Stadium. The Lady Flames snapped a six-game winless streak with an 8-0 win in their home opener. The Lady Flames scored twice in the first, but remained off the board until scoring six runs on four hits in the fifth. Kersten’s three-run double made it 6-0. Roupe then ended the game, launching the first pitch she saw over the fence in left for an 8-0 final.

SATURDAY: LIBERTY 5, PRINCETON 4 (8 INNINGS)

Liberty junior Savannah Woodard’s walk-off base hit in the eighth inning gave Liberty a 5-4 victory over Princeton.

Princeton scored three unearned runs in the top of the third to take a 3-0 lead, scoring on a pair of errors. The Lady Flames tied it in the fifth, as an RBI triple by Howard got things going and Hudson followed with an RBI double. Craine skied a popup that the first baseman lost in the lights, tying the game at 3-3.

With the game still tied at 3-3, Princeton took a 4-3 lead when it cashed in on the International tiebreaker in the top of the eighth. The Lady Flames answered in the home half, as Roupe hit a one-out RBI single. Then, with the bases loaded, Woodard lined one off the wall in left center, 5-4.

SUNDAY GAME 1: LIBERTY 5, MARSHALL 4 (8 INNINGS)

Liberty erased a 4-1 deficit with a three-run sixth inning, and Rachel Roupe’s walk-off double gave the Lady Flames an eight-inning, 5-4 win over Marshall.

Marshall appeared to be in command with a 4-1 lead in the sixth. However, Liberty tied it up on two-out RBI hits from Roupe, Rachel Craine and Soto.

With the game tied at 4-4, the teams entered the eighth inning in the International tiebreaker. Keeney and Howard turned a double play to remove the runner from second, and the next batter lined out to Craine at third. Roupe then launched a two-out RBI double in the home half for the winning margin.

SUNDAY GAME 2: LIBERTY 6, ELON 4

Liberty jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and held off a late Elon rally, downing the Phoenix 6-4 on Sunday.

The Lady Flames scored early and often, thanks to back-to-back home runs to start the first and a Brynn McManus sacrifice fly. Liberty then tacked on two runs in the second.

Estroff ran into trouble in the fifth, as Grant narrowed the gap to 5-3 with a three-run double with two outs. Paige Bachman pitched in relief during the sixth, loading the bases with nobody out. Bachman fanned the next two batters before walking in a run. Keeney came on, getting the first batter she faced to ground out and end the threat.

ON TAP

Friday, Mar. 3 vs UConn, 1:00 p.m.
Friday, Mar. 3 vs Iona, 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 4 vs UConn, 2:00 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 4 vs Radford, 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Mar. 6 vs Virginia, 6:00 p.m.