Following Wednesday’s win over UCF, No. 20 Liberty softball earned a pair of last at-bat victories on Friday at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational, defeating Charlotte and No. 12 Alabama to improve to 8-0, the team’s best unbeaten start in program history before dropping three straight to finish the weekend. The Lady Flames are now 8-3 on the season.
FRIDAY GAME 1: #20 LIBERTY 6, CHARLOTTE 4
Charlotte manufactured a run to break a 3-3 tie in the top of the 6th. The Lady Flames then rallied with one out in the home half of the 6th. Liberty loaded the bases before Savannah Woodard’s single tied it up. After a flyout, a bases loaded walk gave Liberty the lead. Savannah Whatley then scored on a passed ball for the 6-4 edge. Kaylan Yoder earned the win as she allowed one run on no hits, walking six and striking out three in 4.1 innings. Tyler Oubre pitched 2.2 innings, yielding three runs. Brynn McManus was 3 for 3 with an RBI while Whatley was 1 for 1 with a double and three runs scored.
FRIDAY GAME 2: #20 LIBERTY 7, #12 ALABAMA 6
In a back and forth game, Alabama went ahead, 5-3, after they scored three in the 4th inning. The Lady Flames would regain the lead in the 6th. With one out and two on, Alyssa Henault laced a pinch-hit RBI single. Whatley followed with an RBI single before Rachel Roupe drove in two runs for a 7-5 lead. Alabama got one run n in the top of the 7th, but Elena Escobar got the final out with a strikeout. Escobar allowed one run on five hits, striking out three in 3.2 innings pitched in relief of Paige Bachman. Savannah Whatley was 2 for 3 with a triple, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored.
SATURDAY GAME 1: #15 MISSOURI 5, #20 LIBERTY 3
Liberty saw its season-opening win streak end at 8, falling to No. 15 Missouri on Saturday morning. The Lady Flames left the bases loaded in the first, accounting for three of the six runners left on base for the game as the team failed to take an early lead. Missouri responded with a home run in the bottom of the first as they took the early 1-0 lead. Liberty answered right back, scoring three in the second, taking a 3-1 lead following Rachel Roupe’s two-run blast. The Tigers scored three in the third to regain the lead at 4-3 before adding another run in the 5th, making it 5-3. The Lady Flames only were able to post three hits for the game. Elena Escobar drew the loss, yielding four runs on four hits with one walk and four strikeouts in two innings. Paige Bachman pitched the final four innings. Missouri hit three home runs in the game, the first homers allowed by Liberty this season.
SATURDAY GAME 2: WICHITA STATE 3, #20 LIBERTY 2
Liberty took the early lead in game two on Saturday, looking to bounce back from its first defeat of the season. Savannah Jessee’s single in the fourth put the Flames on top 2-0. Wichita State scored all of its runs on a go-ahead three-run double Ellee Eck in the top of the 5th. Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the 7th, Liberty had a great opportunity to walk it off, loading the bases with nobody out with the top of the order due up. Savannah Woodard would strike out before Rachel Roupe popped out and then Brynn McManus grounded out to end the game. The Lady Flames left seven on base. Paige Bachman drew the loss, allowing three runs on five hits while walking one and striking out two in 4.1 innings. Kaylan Yoder pitched 2.2 innings of hitless relief, striking out two.
SUNDAY: AUBURN 2, #20 LIBERTY 1
Auburn remained unbeaten, improving to 11-0 on the season after a perfect 4-0 record at this weekend’s Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational. Auburn scored twice a in the bottom of the first, benefiting from three walks, a single, and two hit batters. Danner Allen then came on in relief in the circle for the Flames, striking out the final two batters of the inning. The Lady Flames threatened in the top of the 7th, getting back to back singles from Savannah Jessee and KK Madrey to start the inning. After a groundout, Savannah Woodard got Liberty on the board with a sacrifice fly before Rachel Roupe struck out to end the e game. Liberty had nine hits for the game but left seven runners on base. Kaylan Yoder drew the loss, allowing two runs on one hit, walking three, and hitting two while only recording one out in the first. Allen pitched 5.2 innings of one-hit relief with a career-high six strikeouts.
ON TAP
Liberty will return home for its home opener this weekend, playing in the Liberty Softball Classic. The Lady Flames are scheduled to open against Hofstra on Friday at Noon from Liberty Softball Stadium. Liberty will then play host to Charleston Southern on Friday at 2 p.m. On Saturday, Liberty hosts Saint Joe’s at 4 p.m. and then Radford on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
