Liberty softball opened their 2024 season this past week in Florida with six games all against Power Conference teams. The Lady Flames have opened the year at 1-5 and now travel to Leesburg, Florida for THE Spring Games.

FRIDAY GAME 1: LIBERTY 3, ST. JOHN’S 1

Rachel Roupe hit a two-out, two-run walk-off home run to give the Lady Flames a 3-1 win over St. John’s in the season opener f or both teams on Friday evening. St. John’s loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the second but managed just one run off Liberty pitcher Elena Escobar who limited the damage with a pair of strikeouts. Roupe’s RBI triple would tie the game in the fifth before she would end the game in dramatic fashion in the seventh.

FRIDAY GAME 2: #8 OREGON 8, LIBERTY 0 (6 INNINGS)

Liberty got hits from its first two batters in the bottom of the first but was unable to score. The 5th ranked Oregon Ducks would then put the game out of reach with a six-run second inning, scoring the first four runs off of Liberty starter Paige Bachman before Kaylan Yoder came on in relief. The Flames finished the game with just two hits, held hitless after the first two batters of the game in the first ever meeting between the two programs. Despite the loss, Yoder becomes the first LIberty freshman to strike out three batters in her first career inning pitched during the program’s Division I era.

SATURDAY GAME 1: #5 CLEMSON 7, LIBERTY 3

Liberty took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, cashing in on an RBI double from Sierra Kersten and a Rachel Craine sac fly. The Tigers fought right back with three runs on one hit, two hit batters and three walks in the bottom of the first. The lead grew to 7-3 as Clemson cruised to the victory.

SATURDAY GAME 2: MISSOURI 10, LIBERTY 1 (5 INNINGS)

The Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead and then utilized a six-run third inning to make it 10-0. Rachel Roupe laced a fourth inning home run to right for the Flames’ lone run. Missouri’s pitcher struck out 10 in the complete game win, allowing one run on four hits.

SUNDAY: NOTRE DAME 3, LIBERTY 0

Notre Dame scored three unearned runs in the top of the second, proving to be all that was needed to pick up a win over Liberty on Sunday. Notre Dame outhit the Flames, 6-2, and left seven runners on base. Alexis Laudenslager and Micaela Kastor combined for the two-hit shutout. Liberty’s Tyler Oubre made her first career start, allwed three unearned runs on four hits while striking out one in two innings. Kaylan Yoder pitched five innings of two-hit relief while walking two and striking out two.

Rachel Roupe was named CUSA Player of the Week on Monday after hitting 10 for 14 (.714) with a .733 on base percentage and 1.286 slugging percentage at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic. She also recorded two homers and four RBI and went a combined 5 for 5 with a walk and a homer on Saturday against No. 5 Clemson and Missouri.

WEDNESDAY: UCF 7, LIBERTY 5

Liberty narrowed a 7-2 seventh-inning deficit to 7-5 and brought the tying run to the plate before the host UCF Knights held on for the 7-5 victory on Wednesday. UCF added three insurance runs in the fifth inning to expand its lead to 7-2. In the 7th, Savannah Jessee led off Liberty’s rally with a pinch hit single. After a fielder’s choice, Rachel Roupe was hit by a pitch. Megan Fortner’s two-run triple made it 7-4. Sierra Kersten’s sac fly narrowed the gap to 7-5. Hailey Deter then laced a double, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Rachel Craine was struck out by UCF’s Sarah Willis to end the game.

ON TAP

Liberty now heads to Leesburg, Florida for THE Spring Games where the Flames will play five games beginning Thursday, Feb. 15. All games at THE Spring Games will be streamed on FloSoftball.

Due to threatening weather in the Leesburg, Fla., area, Liberty’s schedule at THE Spring Games has been altered. The Lady Flames will now start the tournament with a single game against Coastal Carolina at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Sleepy Hollow Softball Complex.

THE Spring Games Invitational includes Liberty, Kansas, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa, UC Riverside, Coastal Carolina, and Southern Illinois in the nine-team field. Southern Illinois and Liberty both are coming off of NCAA Tournament appearances a season ago.