Liberty softball dropped its fifth straight one-run game last Wednesday by falling to North Carolina. The Lady Flames would rebound to win all three games at Eastern Kentucky to open conference play at 3-0 and then knock off Virginia on Tuesday night in Charlottesville. Liberty is currently 18-13 overall and 3-0 in the ASUN.

WEDNESDAY: NORTH CAROLINA 3, LIBERTY 2

North Carolina hit a solo homer in the sixth inning to push past Liberty for the win last week at Liberty Softball Stadium. The Lady Flames fell behind 2-0 in the first inning before Karlie Keeney came on in relief and retired the first nine batters she faced. Denay Griffin’s two-run home run off the scoreboard tied the game in the fourth inning. Liberty dropped its fifth straight one-run game.

SATURDAY GAME 1: LIBERTY 10, EASTERN KENTUCKY 6

Liberty trailed Eastern Kentucky 6-2 before scoring two runs in the sixth and erupting for a six-run seventh inning in a comeback victory over the Colonels to open conference play. EKU homered three times in a four-run fourth inning to take their lead before McKenzie Wagoner entered the circle and shut the Colonels out for the remaining 3.1 innings. Rachel Roupe narrowed the gape to 6-4 with her first career homer in the sixth. The first six Liberty batters of the seventh all scored and Alex Soto’s first career homer pushed Liberty ahead 7-6.

SATURDAY GAME 2: LIBERTY 11, EASTERN KENTUCKY 4

Liberty’s bats picked up right where they left off from in game one, scoring seven first inning runs to spark the win over EKU. The Colonels chipped away at the deficit and trailed 8-4 with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth. However, McKenzie Wagoner snuffed out the rally and got out of the jam.

SUNDAY: LIBERTY 8, EASTERN KENTUCKY 1

Liberty senior Emily Kirby struck out a season high 13 batters as the Lady Flames earned the three-game sweep at Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels took a 1-0 lead with a first inning homer and Liberty tied it on a sacrifice fly by Rachel Roupe in the second. Mary Claire Wilson gave Liberty the lead it would not relinquish with a two-run home run in the fourth inning. The Lady Flames tacked on one in the fifth and four in the sixth for the final margin.

TUESDAY: LIBERTY 6, VIRGINIA 1

Liberty scored three times in the first inning and never looked back, to win a fourth straight game. All of the Lady Flames’ runs came with two outs, including the three in the first which came on an RBI single by Denay Griffin and a two-run triple from Alexis Soto. Liberty led 5-0 before UVA got on the scoreboard. Karlie Keeney entered the circle in relief of Naomi Jones, getting out of the jam and not allowing the Cavaliers any closer.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: RACHEL ROUPE

Freshman Rachel Roupe batted 6 for 13 this past week and was 4 for 8 with two homers, nine RBI, five runs, and two stolen bases in the three game sweep at EKU. Her first career homer, a two-run shot in the sixth on Saturday, sparked a rally back from a 6-2 deficit. In the second game Saturday, Roupe was 2 for 3 with a home run, six RBI and two runs. She hit a grand slam during a seven run Liberty first inning and later added a two-run single. Her six RBI tied a program record for RBI in a single game by a freshman. Her 9 RBI in the series against EKU were the most by a Lady Flame in a conference series since 2011.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK: EMILY KIRBY

Liberty senior Emily Kirby pitched a gem on Sunday to allow the Lady Flames to complete the three-game sweep at Eastern Kentucky this past weekend. Tossing a complete game, Kirby picked up the win as she allowed just one hit and one run in 7 innings while striking out 13.

ON TAP

Liberty will play host to North Alabama for a three-game series this weekend with two games scheduled for Saturday and the series finale on Sunday. The Lions are currently 22-7 on the season and 1-2 in ASUN play following their series this past weekend against Stetson.

ASUN STANDINGS

East
Liberty……………………….3-0, 18-12
Jacksonville………………3-0, 9-13
North Florida…………….4-2, 25-7
Stetson……………………..2-1, 12-19
Kennesaw State…………2-1, 9-14
FGCU…………………………3-3, 10-19

West
North Alabama………….1-2, 22-7
Central Arkansas………1-2, 16-11
Jacksonville State…….1-2, 17-11
Lipscomb………………….1-2, 10-17
Bellarmine…………………0-3, 8-21
Eastern Kentucky………0-3, 4-22