Liberty softball concluded the regular season on Sunday evening with a win over No. 10 LSU. With the win, the Lady Flames have finished the regular season with a 32-22 record and now prepare for this week’s CUSA Tournament.

WEDNESDAY: #16 VIRGINIA TECH 4, LIBERTY 1

The visiting Hokies hit a pair of two-run homers and held off a late Liberty rally to pick up the win at Liberty Softball Stadium in front of a record crowd of 1,212.

Virginia Tech’s two-run homers came courtesy of Addy Greene in the first and Bre Peck in the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, Rachel Roupe was hit by a pitch with one out. After a flyout, Brynn McManus put Liberty on the board with an RBI triple to right field.

The Lady Flames would bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh. Pinch hitter Hailey Deter led off with a single, going to second on a throwing error. Roupe walked with one out, before Hokies’ pitcher Emma Lemley struck out Megan Fortner and McManus to end the game.

Kaylan Yoder drew the loss, yielding four runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Paige Bachman pitched 1.1 innings of two-hit softball, walking one and striking out one.

FRIDAY: #10 LSU 4, LIBERTY 0

The Lady Flames held LSU at bay for the first four innings before the host Tigers scored twice a in both the fifth and sixth innings to pull away for the win on Friday.

Liberty junior Elena Escobar allowed no hits through four innings. That changed in the fifth when Sierra Daniel led off the bottom of the inning with a single. After a sacrifice bunt, an infield single put runners on the corners. A sacrifice fly broke the ice before an RBI double made it 2-0. LSU then scored twice a in the sixth for insurance and Tiger ace Sydney Berzon pitched a perfect seventh to seal the five-hit shutout.

Escobar allowed two runs on three hits, walking four, hitting three, and striking out four in five innings as she drew the loss. Katie Love yielded two runs, one earned, on one hit, walking one in one innings. Rachel Roupe was 2 for 3 in the game while Mary Claire Wilson, Brynn McManus, and Megan Fortner each recorded one hit.

SATURDAY: #10 LSU 9, LIBERTY 4

The Tigers scored in every inning in which it batted on its way to a 9-4 win on Saturday at Tiger Park.

LSU drew 10 walks in the game, including eight in the first three innings. Four out of those eight batters who drew walks during that span scored, as the Tigers took a 5-1 lead after three. LSU added four runs over the next two innings, taking an 8-2 lead in the sixth. The Lady Flames rallied with two outs in the top of the sixth, as Raigan Barrett’s two run double made it 8-4. KK Madrey was hit by pitch and Brooke Roberts walked. Raelin Chaffin came in out of the bullpen with the bases loaded and struck out Rachel Craine to escape the jam.

Kaylan Yoder drew the loss, allowing five runs on five hits, walking seven and fanning two in 2.1 innings. Paige Bachman gave up two runs on two hits, with one walk in two-thirds of an inning. Tyler Oubre pitched the final three innings, yielding two runs on three hits while walking two.

SUNDAY: LIBERTY 3, #10 LSU 1

Liberty picked up a signature win in its regular season, knocking off the No. 10  LSU Tigers on Sunday.

Liberty’s Savannah Jessee drove in KK Madrey with an RBI double in the top of the third inning, as the Lady Flames took the early lead. The next inning, Rachel Roupe’s two run homer pushed the Lady Flames advantage to 3-0.

Elena Escobar carried a no hitter into the fifth inning. LSU scored once in the sixth inning to break up the shutouts. The Liberty right hander faced adversity in the bottom of the sixth, as LSU loaded the bases with two outs. Tiger leadoff batter Ciara Briggs then sent a bouncer that was ticketed for center-field. However, Escobar leapt up to snare the grounder and fired to first for the clinching out.

Escobar recorded the win, allowing one run on five hits while walking three and striking out two.

ON TAP

Liberty now prepares for the CUSA Tournament as the No. 1 seed which begins this week in Las Cruces, New Mexico

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