Liberty and Western Kentucky entered this weekend tied for second place in the CUSA standings. The Lady Flames won the first two games of the series, before the Hilltoppers salvaged game three, as Liberty moved into sole possession of 2nd place. The Flames are now 20-21 on the season and 13-5 in conference play.
WEDNESDAY: # 15 DUKE 12, LIBERTY 5
The top 15-ranked Blue Devils scored four unanswered runs over the final three innings to pull away from a 12-5 victory over the Lady Flames on Wednesday at Liberty Softball Stadium in Lynchburg as they improved to 29-11 on the season. It was Duke’s 7th straight win over Liberty.
The visiting Blue Devils jumped out to a 6-0 lead, getting a first-inning two-run double and second-inning grand slam, both off the bat of Jessica Oakland. Facing an 8-1 deficit in the third, Liberty narrowed the gap to 8-4 o n an RBI single by Brynn McManus and a two-run triple from Savannah Jessee. The Lady Flames added a run in the fourth when McManus drove in Brooke Roberts. A caught stealing on a first and third play ended the inning with Duke holding an 8-5 lead. They would add four more runs to their lead, and a three-batter seventh ended the game.
Danner Allen drew the loss, allowing six runs on three hits, walking four, and striking out one in 1.2 innings. Facing her old team, Gabby Mike yielded five runs (three earned) on seven hits, walking three and fanning three in four innings pitched.
Brynn McManus batted 2 for 3 with two RBI and one run scored, while Savannah Jesssee went 2 for 4 with a double, her first career triple, two RBI and one run. Alexia Carrasquillo went 2 for 4 with one run scored, while Paige Doerr batted 1 for 4 with a double and one run.
FRIDAY: LIBERTY 3, WESTERN KENTUCKY 2
Liberty edged Western Kentucky in the series opener Friday at Liberty Softball Stadium, ending the Hilltoppers six-game winning streak. The Lady Flames jumped out to the 3-0 lead after three innings, getting two RBI from Dani Lee (sacrifice fly, RBI single) and a sacrifice fly from Brynn McManus. The Hilltoppers would come right back, entering the scoring column in the fourth on back to back doubles by Morgan Sharpe and Katie Murphy, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
In the top of the sixth, Paige Doerr t hrew out Murphy trying to score from second on a two-out single, keeping the score 3-1. After a leadoff homer by WKU’s Kendle White in the top of the seventh inning, Gabby Mike retired one more better before Camden Anders came on in relief to get the final two outs.
WKU outhit Liberty 9-3 in the game but left seven on base. Anders improved to 10-3 on the season and a perfect 7-0 in CUSA play, allowing one run on four hits in four total innings, walking one and striking out one. Gabby Mike pitched three innings, yielding one run on five hits, also walking one and striking out one. Dani Lee batted 1 for 2 with two RBI while Alexia Carrasquillo went 1 for 3 with a double and run scored. For Lee, it extended her hitting streak to 10 games, the longest hitting streak by a Liberty player so far this season and the longest by a Liberty freshman since 2017 (Autumn Bishop).
SATURDAY: LIBERTY 4, WESTERN KENTUCKY 0
Three Liberty pitchers combined for a six-hit shutout, as Liberty blanked Western Kentucky in game two of the weekend series, claiming the series. The Lady Flames built a 3-0 lead after the first two innings. Alexia Carrasquillo drove in both Dani Lee and Ella Fox with a first-inning double. Then, Fox added an RBI single in the second.
WKU left a total of 11 runners on base, failing to cross home plate and having three runners throw out on the bases. Gabby Mike entered the game with one out and two on and Liberty leading 4-0 in the sixth. She earned a five-out save. WKU outhit Liberty for a second straight game, out hitting the Lady Flames, 6-3. The teams combined to issue 17 free passes, with WKU walking nine and Liberty eight.
Abigail Findlay earned the win, pitching 2.1 innings of one-hit softball, walking three and fanning one. Gabby Mike went 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and one walk. Liberty’s starter, Danner Allen pitched three innings, yielding four hits and four walks while striking out two. Carrasquillo was 1 for 3 with a double and two RBI while Maci Strickland tripled and drove in one run. Ella Fox was 1 for 3 with one RBI and one run.
SUNDAY: WESTERN KENTUCKY 6, LIBERTY 2
The visiting Hilltoppers salvaged a win in game three of the weekend’s series with a 6-2 win. WKU broke a 2-2 tie on Lauren Satterly’s two-run homer in the top of the fifth. The Hilltoppers also took advantage of a Liberty error int he sixth to add two more runs. The Lady Flames had runners on second and third with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth, but two fielder’s choice grounders eliminated both Brooke Roberts and Savanah Whatle trying to score at the plate.
Camden Anders allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits, walking three, and strikeout three in 4.2 innings while drawing the loss. Kaylan Yoder, starting for the first time since Feb. 28 versus UConn, allowed two runs on four hits in 2.1 innings, fanning one. Savannah Jessee batted 2 for 4 with a double, homer, two RBI, and one run for Liberty while Paige Doerr (2 for 3), Brooke Roberts (2 for 3) and Maci Strickland (1 for 4) doubled. Ella Fox was 2 for 4. Liberty left 11 runners on base.
ON TAP
4/15 vs Virginia Tech, 6 p.m., ESPN+
4/17 @ FIU, 6 p.m., ESPN+
4/18 @ FIU, 4 p.m., ESPN+
4/19 @ FIU, 11 a.m., ESPN+
NOTABLE SEASON STATS
Alexia Carrasquillo…..339 batting average, 19 runs, 8 doubles, 9 HR, 32 RBI
Savannah Jessee………328 batting average, 7 doubles, 7 HR, 26 RBI
Ella Fox…………………..333 batting average, 6 doubles, 3 triples, 29 runs
Brynn McManus………292 batting average, 20 runs, 4 doubles, 7 HR, 30 RBI
Paige Doerr………………257 batting average, 19 runs, 5 doubles, 4 HR, 20 RBI
Dani Lee…………………..395 batting average, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 9 RBI
Camden Anders 10-4, 3.24 ERA, 82.0 innings pitched
Gabby Mike 2-8, 3.72 ERA, 81.0 innings pitched
Danner Allen 5-2, 5.50 ERA, 48.1 innings pitched
CUSA STANDINGS
Jax State…………….16-2, 32-12
Liberty………………..13-5, 20-21
Western Kentucky…12-6, 29-10
Sam Houston………11-7, 27-19
Delaware……………..11-7, 23-19
New Mexico St…….11-7, 21-20
FIU…………………….10-8, 28-13
LA Tech……………….8-10, 22-21
Missouri State………6-12, 18-22
Middle Tennessee…4-14, 15-24
UTEP…………………..3-15, 11-27
Kennesaw State…….3-15, 7-32
