Liberty catcher Caroline Hudson had 124 at bats this season without a home run. That streak ended Wednesday evening at Liberty Softball Stadium as she hit home runs on consecutive plate appearances to lift Liberty (34-12 overall, 13-2 ASUN) over No. 18 Virginia Tech (28-12 overall, 19-11 ACC), 5-3.

With the win, Liberty extends their winning streak to 13 games with their second win over a top 25 team this season. The Lady Flames defeated No. 13 Arkansas on March 16, also in extra innings by a score of 2-0 in 10 innings. The win over the Hokies marked the first win for the program over a top 25 team at home.

The Lady Flames struggled to hit Virginia Tech’s ace Keely Rochard who entered the game with 20 wins and 11 complete game shutouts with an ERA at 1.22 and is one of the best pitchers in the country. Through the first six innings of the game, Rochard held the Liberty bats in check without surrendering a run while striking out nine and allowing just four hits. Rochard was listed on the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalists list.

Meanwhile, Virginia Tech was able to get to Liberty starter Emily Kirby early. Mackenzie Lawter blasted a two-run home run in the second inning and Alexa Milius added another deep shot in the third inning as the Hokies chased Kirby from the contest. Karlie Keeney was able to come in for Kirby and steadied things for the Lady Flames, keeping Virginia Tech off the scoreboard for the duration of the game. Keeney would pitch 6.2 innings while scattering three hits and not allowing a run.

Things seemed lost for Liberty entering the bottom half of the 7th inning with the Lady Flames down to their final three outs. Naomi Jones led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. Madison Via followed with a single as Jones advanced to third. Hudson stepped into the batter’s box with the Bishop sisters waiting behind her. That’s when Hudson belted a shot beyond the outfield wall in left center to tie the game and bring the crowd to life.

Rochard settled in and got the Bishop sisters out to send the game to extra innings. Both teams failed to score a run in the 8th inning and Keeney kept Virginia Tech out of the scoring column in the top of the 9th. Madison Via led off the inning with a walk, allowing Hudson to step to the plate with visions of a walk-off hit. She delivered as she drilled the ball to nearly the same place as her previous hit just beyond the wall in left center field for the walk-off home run as she was mobbed at home plate by the rest of her teammates.

Hudson’s home run in the 9th inning was the sixth walk-off win for the Lady Flames which ties a program record for most in a single season. Liberty also recorded six walk-off victories in 2010.

“The thing with Huddy is she is so good behind the plate, really exceptionally good and saves us a lot of runs, but nobody really knows how hard she has been working offensively,” Liberty head coach Dot Richardson said of Hudson. “She knows she is under-performing for her ability because what you saw today is what she is more than capable of doing. This is a breakout game for her. We were really excited, obviously, to win the game, but the overriding emotion was to see Huddy break out. Not only with a three-run home run in the bottom of the 7th, but to get the opportunity to come up again and get a second home run…it was freaking out all of us because we were so excited. Yes, it was a big win against a great team, but just for Huddy to do that, it just ignited us in such a huge way. There is more to come (for her), I’m positive.”

Entering the game, Liberty’s RPI was No. 22 while Virginia Tech was just behind the Lady Flames at No. 23. It was also win number 250 in the career for coach Dot Richardson.

The Lady Flames hit the road this weekend for their final regular season ASUN series as Liberty plays at Kennesaw State for a three-game set beginning Saturday at 1 pm. The Owls are currently 10-2 in ASUN play and just behind Liberty for first place in the North Division. Kennesaw State handed Liberty its only two conference losses so far this season on April 2nd in Lynchburg when the Owls swept a double header before the Lady Flames won the third game of the series the following day.

*photo courtesy Liberty Athletics