Liberty softball secured the CUSA regular season title over the weekend with a series win against the UTEP Miners. The Flames have clinched its 18th 30-win season all time and eighth straight full season with 30 wins or more. The previous program record for consecutive 30-win years was five from 1996-2000. Liberty has improved to 31-19 on the season and 19-5 in conference play.
The Lady Flames won all eight of their Conference USA series this season, including three via sweep and five 2-1 series victories. Liberty’s 19 conference wins this season are the most by a CUSA Softball team since 2019 when Louisiana Tech won the regular season title with a 19-5 league record.
TUESDAY: LIBERTY 9, LONGWOOD 3
Liberty belted three home runs on the way to a win over in-state foe Longwood on Tuesday in Farmville.
The Lady Flames led 4-0 after three innings, as Rachel Roupe hit two run homers in both the first and third innings. Savannah Jessee later made it 9-1 with her first career home run, a two-run blast in the fifth. Longwood extended the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth.
Liberty’s Tyler Oubre, making her first start since March 17 against Jacksonville State, earned her second win of the season. She allowed three runs on six hits in six innings pitched, walking one and fanning two. Katie Love pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Roupe was 2 for 4 with two homers, four RBI, and two runs scored. Jessee was 2 for 4 with a homer, two RBI and one run. Mary Claire Wilson went 1 for 2 with one RBI and two runs scored.
FRIDAY: LIBERTY 9, UTEP 6
In a back and forth game, Liberty went ahead for good on Rachel Roupe’s sixth inning two run blast to pick up the win on Friday. With the win and Western Kentucky’s loss at Jacksonville State, Liberty clinched the No. 1 seed for the 2024 CUSA Softball Championship and at least a share of the CUSA regular season title.
UTEP tied Liberty at 6 on an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. The Lady Flames would regain the lead in the top of the sixth. Mary Claire Wilson singled to center with one out. Rachel Roupe then put Liberty ahead 8-6 with her second homer of the game. The Flames added an insurance run on Raigan Barrett’s two out RBI single.
Elena Escobar earned the win for the Lady Flames, allowing two unearned runs on five hits, walking one and striking out six in 4.2 innings of relief. Kaylan Yoder started and went 2.1 innings, giving up four runs, two earned, on three hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.
Continuing her insane hot streak, Roupe was 3 for 3 with a double, two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored. Mary Claire Wilson was a triple short of the cycle, going 3 for 5 with a double, homer, two RBI and three runs scored. KK Madrey went 3 for 4 with a triple, one stolen base and one run scored.
SATURDAY: LIBERTY 12, UTEP 1 (5 INNINGS)
After falling behind 1-0, Liberty scored 12 unanswered runs en route to a 12-1, five inning win on Saturday. The Lady Flames claim the CUSA regular season title outright, becoming the first team since Western Kentucky in 2015 to win the CUSA regular season title in its first season in the conference.
UTEP led Liberty 1-0 and had two runners on with one out. However, Lady Flames starter Katie Love struck out the next two batters to escape the jam. Liberty took the lead on KK Madrey’s two run homer in the second inning and never looked back, adding five runs in both the third and the fourth. Liberty scored a season high 12 runs on eight hits.
Katie Love earned the win, allowing one run on two hits, walking two and striking out two in three innings. Paige Bachman tossed two innings of one hit relief, with one walk and one strikeout.
Brynn McManus posted her first career three hit game, going 3 for 3 with two doubles, a homer, two RBI and two runs scored.
SUNDAY: UTEP 4, LIBERTY 3
In a dramatic seventh inning that saw Liberty go ahead 3-2 in the top of the frame, UTEP scored twice in the home half to walk off with a 4-3 victory over the Lady Flames on Sunday.
With the game tied at 2, Mary Claire Wilson led off the seventh with a single before advancing to third on an error. Following Rachel Roupe’s fourth walk of the day, Brynn McManus made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly. An inning ending double play limited Liberty to the lone run in the frame.
In the home half, Paige Bachman walked the leadoff batter. Liberty starter Elena Escobar then reentered the game. After a sacrifice bunt, a UTEP triple tied the game. The next batter then sent a bouncer to short and the Lady Flames were unable to get the runner out at home to end the game.
Escobar drew the loss, allowing two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out four in 3.1 innings. Katie Love pitched two innings, giving up one run on two hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
ON TAP
Liberty will conclude the regular season this week. The Lady Flames’ regular season home finale is on Wednesday against Virginia Tech at 6 p.m. Liberty then plays at LSU for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 6 p.m.
Current CUSA Standings
Liberty…………………19-5, 31-19
Western Kentucky…14-7, 29-18-1
NMSU…………………..12-9, 27-21
Louisiana Tech……12-9, 29-18
Jax State……………..11-10, 22-26
UTEP…………………….10-11, 24-17
Sam Houston……….7-14, 19-28
FIU………………………..6-15, 19-28
Middle Tenn………….5-16, 19-30
