Liberty softball secured a third consecutive series win to begin Conference USA play, taking the first two games at Sam Houston. The Lady Flames would drop the series finale in extra innings on Sunday, seeing its six game win streak end. Liberty is now 17-13 overall and 7-2 in CUSA play, tied with Louisiana Tech atop the conference standings.
FRIDAY: LIBERTY 4, SAM HOUSTON 0
Lilberty hit three home runs over the final two innings, pulling away for a 4-0 win over Sam Houston on Friday in the series opener.
Sam Houston had its best scoring chance in the early going with runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the fourth. However, Kaylan Yoder struck out the next two batters, keeping the game scoreless as she got out of the jam.
Rachel Roupe hit a leadoff homer in the sixth, while Megan Fortner added a two-run blast later in the same inning. KK Madrey added a solo shot in the seventh to cap the scoring.
SATURDAY: LIBERTY 7, SAM HOUSTON 6
Liberty overcame a three-run deficit, rallying for a 7-6 win over Sam Houston Saturday, clinching the Flames’ third straight series victory. Liberty also ties its longest winning streak of the season with six straight wins.
Paige Bachman entered the circle in relief of Tyler Oubre with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth. She kept Liberty’s deficit at 6-5 by striking out the next two batters. The Lady Flames quickly filled the bases in the top of the sixth. A sacrifice fly by Brooke Roberts tied the score at 6. Then, KK Madrey grounded out to second, pushing the go-ahead run across.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Bachman walked Julia Herzinger and hit Jordan Peno. Kaylan Yoder came on and walked Allie Saville to load the bases. Yoder then struck out Morgan Holliday to nail down the save.
Liberty’s Hailey Deter went 3 for 3 with a homer, sacrifice fly and four RBI. Bachman earned the win, pitching 2.1 innings of hitless relief in which she struck out three, walked one and hit one. Yoder recorded her third save. Liberty starter Katie Love was charged with six runs (five earned) on four hits with one walk and one strikeout in 2.1 innings.
SUNDAY: SAM HOUSTON 8, LIBERTY 5 (9 INNINGS)
The Bearkats claimed its first CUSA victory with a walk-off three-run homer by Tricia Yarotsky in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday. The win helped Sam Houston snap a six game winless skid.
With Liberty trailing 4-2 and down to its last strike, Megan Fortner hit a two-out, three-run homer to put the Lady Flames ahead 5-4 in the top of the seventh. Sam Houston rebounded in the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff double and then scoring on a pair of passed balls. After a single, Paige Bachman came on in relief. After loading the bases with nobody out, Bachman got out of the jam with a 1-2-3 double play and a groundout.
After a scoreless eighth, the Bearkats got a leadoff single followed by a walk. Kaylan Yoder then entered the game to face Yarotsky whose three run homer ended the game.
ON TAP
Liberty hosts Virginia on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. before playing host to Louisiana Tech for a three game series over the weekend. The games are scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. Friday, and at noon Saturday.
Current CUSA Standings
Louisiana Tech……7-2, 22-6
Liberty…………………7-2, 17-13
Western Kentucky…6-3, 20-10-1
NMSU…………………..6-3, 16-12
Middle Tenn………….3-6, 15-20
Jax State……………..2-4, 12-20
FIU………………………..1-5, 13-18
Sam Houston……….1-8, 12-19
