Liberty softball completed a perfect week with a sweep of Austin Peay over the weekend. The Lady Flames have now won five in a row, including a 4-0 mark on the week. Liberty is now 34-17 on the season and 16-5 in the ASUN. The Flames have also clinched a spot in the 2023 ASUN Softball Championship.
WEDNESDAY: LIBERTY 5, NO. 6 CLEMSON 4
Liberty faced a 4-1 deficit against two-time All-American Valerie Cagle with one out in the seventh. The next six Lady Flames reached base in a row during a four-run rally, capped by Rachel Craine’s two-run walk-off single to give the hosts a 5-4 win over No. 6 Clemson, Wednesday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
The win marked the third for the Lady Flames over a Top 25 team this season, all coming over the past two weeks. Prior to Wednesday’s loss to Liberty, the Tigers’ lone non-conference loss was Feb. 25 against Tennessee.
The Lady Flames rallied off of Cagle with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Pinch hitter KC Machado singled to left, followed by singles from Mary Claire Wilson and Devyn Howard which loaded the bases. Bases-loaded walks to Caroline Hudson and Rachel Roupe narrowed the gap to 4-3. Craine then lined a single up the middle, scoring Howard from third and pinch runner Lilly Heidorn from second for the walk-off winner.
FRIDAY: LIBERTY 6, AUSTIN PEAY 3
Liberty opened its final regular-season home series with a 6-3 win over Austin Peay on Friday. The Lady Flames jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning as Benefield struggled to find the zone, walking three out of the first four batters she faced. Megan Fortner got the scoring going with a sacrifice fly, and Madrey followed with a two-run double. Kersten made it 4-0 when she singled to left. Austin Peay battled back to within two runs twice, at 4-2 and 5-3, but could get no closer as Liberty sealed the 6-3 victory.
SATURDAY GAME 1: LIBERTY 11, AUSTIN PEAY 7
Liberty scored four runs in the first inning. However, Austin Peay went ahead with a three-run third. Mary Claire Wilson tied the game at 5-5 with an RBI double in the fourth, while Hudson put Liberty ahead with an RBI single.
A three-run homer by Wilson and RBI triple form Roupe gave Liberty a 10-5 lead in the fifth. Austin Peay pulled to within 10-7 on a two-out, two-run single by Osowski-Anderson in the top of the sixth, but got no closer.
SATURDAY GAME 2: LIBERTY 11, AUSTIN PEAY 2 (5 INNINGS)
Liberty led 2-1 with bases loaded and two outs in the top of the second. Megan Hodum lifted a shallow pop that would have put the Governors ahead. However, KK Madrey dove for the run-saving catch to end the rally. Madrey would later throw out a runner at home in the fifth.
The Lady Flames pushed their lead to 5-1 with back-to-back homers by Craine and Fortner in the third and did not look back from there.
ON TAP
Wednesday, May 3 vs Virginia Tech, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, May 5 @ Queens, 4:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 6 @ Queens, 2:00 p.m. (double-header)
May 9 – May 13 ASUN Softball Championship
Current ASUN Standings
Central Arkansas 19-2
Liberty 16-5
Jacksonville Stetson 13-8
FGCU 11-10
Austin Peay 11-10
Stetson 11-10
North Alabama 10-10-1
Queens 10-11
Kennesaw State 10-11
North Florida 9-11-1
Jacksonville 9-12
Lipscomb 9-12
Eastern Kentucky 7-14
Bellarmine 1-20
