Lady Flames Set to Host Pitt, Wednesday
3/12/2019 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Complete Game Notes
Liberty (15-9) brings the nation's second-longest active home winning streak into Wednesday's game against Pitt (3-18), which will begin at 3 p.m. at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
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The Lady Flames have won 27 consecutive home games, a streak that started March 10, 2018. Only Oklahoma (41) has a longer active home winning streak among NCAA Division I softball teams.
Liberty went 2-3 at the Louisville Slugger Invitational last weekend in Southern California. The Lady Flames shut out both San Diego State and Boston University and nearly knocked off No. 2 UCLA before falling 4-3 on Saturday. Each of Liberty's last four opponents over the weekend qualified for the 2018 NCAA Softball Championship.
Liberty had an 11-game winning streak snapped on Friday, and also posted nine straight shutouts and did not allow a single run in 60 consecutive innings. The Lady Flames scored 75 unanswered runs, starting Feb. 21 against Wright State and ending March 8 at Long Beach State.
So far this season, Liberty has tossed 10 shutouts, with each of Liberty's last 10 wins coming via shutout. Liberty has tossed two no-hitters, including a perfect game from Julia DiMartino and a four-pitcher no-hitter versus Quinnipiac. Liberty's top win so far this season came on Feb. 15, when the Lady Flames downed then No. 19 Texas A&M, 4-2.
Liberty returns eight all-conference players from last year's team, led by two-time Big South Pitcher of the Year Julia DiMartino, 2019 ASUN Preseason Player of the Year Autumn Bishop and Amber Bishop. All three were named to the NFCA All-Region team each of the last two years. Autumn Bishop was named to the 2019 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 50 Watch List.
DiMartino was named ASUN Pitcher of the Week on Monday, for the third time in the last four weeks. She went 3-1 with a 0.53 ERA, two shutouts and 29 strikeouts last week.
DiMartino, a two-time NFCA All-Region pitcher, is 9-4 with a 1.01 ERA, .148 opponents batting average and three shutouts. Freshman Braelyn Cooper has posted a 1.15 ERA in six appearances, while Chase Cassady is 3-1 with a 2.02 ERA and 8.2 strikeouts per seven innings.
Amber Bishop leads the team with a .388 batting average, six homers, seven doubles, 18 runs and 13 RBI. Her twin sister, Autumn Bishop, bats .361 and is second in the ASUN with a .506 on base percentage. Sarah Robertson hits .333 and is second on the team with 14 runs scored. Alexis Erich bats .302 with five doubles, while Kara Canetto (.300) leads the team with six steals and Madison Via (.298) has five steals.
Quick Hits
- The Lady Flames went 6-1 against ACC opponents last season, and are 11-4 versus the ACC since the start of the 2017 season. Liberty posted a 5-0 record at home versus ACC teams in 2018.
- Liberty is 9-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents 68-2 at Liberty Softball Stadium.
- Julia DiMartino has appeared in more games (148) than any active NCAA Division I pitcher.
- Liberty is 13-0 when scoring first this season, and 2-9 when its opponent scores first.
- Liberty was voted preseason favorite in the ASUN, while Pitt was 4th in the ACC preseason poll.
- Amber Bishop needs one more double to become the third active Liberty player with 40 or more career doubles, joining Sarah Robertson (44) and Autumn Bishop (41).
- Pitt is one of five ACC opponents that Liberty will face this season.
