Liberty softball picked up wins Saturday and Sunday to overcome a setback in the series opener to Western Kentucky on Friday. It was a meeting of two teams at t he top of the CUSA Standings with the Lady Flames earning the series victory and finishing the weekend alone in first place with a 12-3 conference record. Liberty is 22-16 overall.

WEDNESDAY: #13 VIRGINIA TECH 6, LIBERTY 5

In a game in which the lead changed hands twice in the sixth inning, Virginia Tech hit two sixth inning home runs and held on for a 6-5 win over Liberty on Wednesday at Tech Softball Park.

Trailing 3-1 in the top of the sixth, the Lady Flames rallied to take the lead. VT relief pitcher Emma Mazzarone walked both batters she saw. Emma Lemley then entered the circle. Rachel Craine’s RBI single narrowed the gap to 3-2. Rachel Roupe put Liberty ahead with a two-out, two-run double. The Hokies answered with three runs of its own in the home half of the sixth with two home runs.

Liberty scored quickly in the top of the seventh. Megan Fortner led off with a double before scoring on an RBI single by Brynn McManus. Lemley bore down from there, retiring the final three batters to preserve the win for Virginia Tech.

Elena Escobar drew the loss, allowing three runs on five hits, walking two and striking out seven in 4.1 innings pitched. Katie Love gave up three runs in one innings as the starter. Kaylan Yoder retired both batters she saw in relief. She hasn’t allowed a run in her last 16.2 innings pitched.

Rachel Roupe went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Sierra Kersten batted 2 for 3 in her first career game as Liberty’s leadoff batter. KK Madrey was 2 for 3 with a double, one steal, and a run scored.

FRIDAY: WESTERN KENTUCKY 1, LIBERTY 0

WKU senior Katie Gardner tossed a one-hit shutout as the Hilltoppers scored one unearned run to edge Liberty, 1-0, on Friday in Lynchburg.

Western Kentucky manufactured the game’s only run in the second inning. Cheyenne Sales led off with a single. A sacrifice bunt sent her to second before she moved to third on a passed ball. Morgan Sharpe’s sacrifice fly would score Sales for the 1-0 lead.

Liberty’s first 15 batters of the game were retired by Gardner, as she took a perfect game into the sixth inning. Hailey Deter drew a leadoff walk as a pinch hitter. Raigan Barrett bunted for a hit with one out before a ground out sent runners to second and third. Gardner walked Roupe to load the bases for Mary Claire Wilson. The senior center fielder lined one into right center, but Hilltopper right fielder Sophie Weber snared it to keep the shutouts alive.

Kaylan Yoder drew the loss, yielding one unearned run on two hits, walking two, hitting two, and striking out seven, ending a streak of 18.1 innings pitched without allowing a run. It was the second longest shutouts streak by a Liberty freshman in program history. She has started the series opener in all five of Liberty’s CUSA series, going 4-1 with a 0.20 ERA, allowing just one earned run while striking out 36 batters in 35 innings pitched over that span.

SATURDAY: LIBERTY 9, WESTERN KENTUCKY 1 (5 INNINGS)

Liberty used a six-run fourth inning to break open what was a close game to seal a five-inning, run-rule win over the HIilltoppers on Saturday in game two of the series.

The Lady Flames trailed 1-0 with two outs and two on in the third inning. At that point, Liberty had not scored in the first 9.2 innings of the series. Hailey Deter then launched a three-run home run, putting Liberty ahead 3-1. Liberty would remove all doubt in the fourth, scoring six runs on six hits while taking advantage of two WKU errors.

Elena Escobar improved to 5-2 on the season as she earned the win. She allowed one hit in two scoreless innings of relief while also striking out two. Liberty starter Katie Love yielded one run on three hits in two innings, walking two, and striking out one. Paige Bachman pitched an inning of relief, walking two and striking out one, as she closed out the game in the fifth.

SUNDAY: LIBERTY 7, WESTERN KENTUCKY 5

Liberty rallied back from 4-0 and 5-4 deficits, using a three-run fifth inning to jump ahead for a 7-5, series clinching victory over the Hilltoppers on Sunday.

Trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the third, the Lady Flames began to stage their comeback. Mary Claire Wilson hit a two-run double in the third and then Sierra Kersten’s two-run home run tied at 4 in the fourth.

WKU would not go away, regaining the lead on a two-out RBI single from Annie White in the top of the fifth. Liberty responded in the home half of the fifth. Wilson drew a leadoff walk ahead of Megan Fortner’s go ahead two-run Homer. The Lady Flames added an insurance run on an RBI infield single by Rachel Craine.

Elena Escobar earned a victory in relief for a second day in a row. She allowed one unearned run on three hits, walking two and striking out five in 3.2 innings pitched. Katie Love got the final two outs, nailing down her second save. Liberty starter Kaylan Yoder gave up four runs, two earned, on four hits, striking out three in 2.2 innings.

ON TAP

Liberty plays at Virginia on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Charlottesville. The Lady Flames will then hit the road to take on Middle Tennessee for a three game series in Murfreesboro, Tennessee which begins Friday at 7 p.m.

Current CUSA Standings

Liberty…………………12-3, 22-16
Western Kentucky…10-5, 24-13-1
Louisiana Tech……7-5, 24-11
NMSU…………………..7-5, 21-15
Jax State……………..6-6, 17-22
FIU………………………..4-8, 16-21
Middle Tenn………….5-10, 17-24
Sam Houston……….4-11, 15-23