Liberty softball had a rough week in Mexico, dropping all four of their games, including two in walk-off fashion. The Lady Flames will return home to play their first games at Liberty Softball Stadium this season, looking to notch a few games in the win column.
THURSDAY: OLE MISS 3, LIBERTY 2 (8 INNINGS)
Liberty’s Savannah Jessee hit a go-ahead RBI double in the eighth, but Ole Miss’ Aynslie Furbush gave the Rebels the 3-2 win with a walk-off homer.
Liberty left the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, as Furbush struck out the last two batters. Lassiter led off the home half of the sixth with a walk and stole second, going to third on a throwing error on the play. Furbush then hit a two-out go-ahead single.
The Lady Flames tied it up when Soto’s slow roller with two outs in the seventh was fumbled at second base, allowing Howard to score from second and tie the game. Liberty cashed in the International tiebreaker run on Jessee’s double in the eighth, but could not add a run.
Ole Miss tied it up quickly in the eighth, with the inherited runner scoring from second after a collision at first on a sac bunt. Furbush ended the game with a solo homer to center, winning an 11-pitch at bat.
FRIDAY: KANSAS 4, LIBERTY 3
Kansas broke a 3-3 tie with a walk-off single from Haleigh Harper, giving the Jayhawks a 4-3 victory over Liberty.
Kansas tied up the score twice, once at 1-1 on a second-inning solo blast by Bruno. After Devyn Howard gave Liberty a 3-1 lead with a two-run single in the top of the fourth, Cripe tied it with a two-run shot in the home half.
The Lady Flames left two runners on base to end the top of the seventh. Bruno led off the bottom of the seventh by singling to center. A sacrifice bunt sent pinch runner Angela Price to second. Harper then dropped a game-winning single into center, just in front of a diving Wilson.
SATURDAY: #11 TENNESSEE 5, LIBERTY 1
Liberty trailed 1-0 after Milloy’s first-inning homer. Howard led off with a double for Liberty before going to third on a wild pitch. A diving catch in left robbed Caroline Hudson of an RBI hit. Gottshall hit Rachel Craine with a pitch, but then fanned Soto. The Lady Flames ran out of the inning, as Howard was caught between third and home on a double steal play.
Tennessee led 3-0 after Milloy’s second homer. Howard got Liberty on the board with a solo shot in the sixth, but Tennessee tacked on two in the seventh for the 5-1 final.
SUNDAY: CAL STATE FULLERTON 7, LIBERTY 0
Cal State Fullerton used big innings in the second (three runs) and third (four runs) innings to gain a large advantage, while the Titans’ pitching and defense took it from there.
ON TAP
Friday, Feb. 24 vs Northern Illinois, Noon
Saturday, Feb. 25 vs Princeton, 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 25 vs Marshall, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 26 vs Elon, 1:00 p.m.
