Following one of the most successful regular seasons in school history, the Liberty softball team now turns its attention to the 2021 ASUN Softball Championship which begins on Friday. As the No. 1 seed in the North Division with a 16-2 record in ASUN play this season, the Lady Flames will play host to No. 4 seed from the North Division in Lipscomb.
The best-of-three series between Liberty and Lipscomb begins on Friday at 2 pm with game two beginning shortly after the conclusion of game one with first pitch at approximately 4 pm. The if necessary game three is scheduled for Saturday at 1 pm, with all three games to be played at Liberty Softball Stadium in Lynchburg.
Liberty owns a 3-0 record against Lipscomb this season, defeating the Bisons by the score of 2-0, 6-0, and 4-0 in a three-game series April 17-18 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Bisons are 5-7 in conference play this season.
Meanwhile, the rest of the ASUN will also begin its quest for a conference championship on Friday, as well. No. 2 from the North Division Kennesaw State, the only conference team to defeat Liberty this season, will host No. 3 seed North Alabama. In the South Division, No. 1 seed FGCU welcomes No. 4 Stetson to Fort Myers while No. 2 seed North Florida hosts No. 3 seed Jacksonville.
Following this weekend, the four remaining teams will then travel to Kennesaw, Georgia to continue the conference tournament in double-elimination style beginning Thursday, May 13, with all games broadcast on ESPN+. The 2021 ASUN Softball Champion is set to be crowned in the finale on Saturday, May 15.
Liberty has won 16 straight games overall and 13 straight in ASUN play. Liberty has outscored opponents 82-13 during the current win streak. The Lady Flames have posted 16 shutouts this season, including 12 in ASUN play, recording a 0.76 ERA against conference opponents.
Entering the week, the Lady Flames’ RPI was No. 20. So, they should be in the NCAA Tournament regardless of what happens in the ASUN Tournament, but don’t tell that to head coach Dot Richardson and this team as they are looking to keep playing at their best moving into the tournament.
