Liberty University
9-4
Villanova
0-4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villanova | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 0 |
| Liberty | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | X | 18 | 19 | 2 |
Liberty Tops Villanova in 18-13 Slugfest
2/27/2021 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Liberty built a 15-2 lead through four innings before Villanova scored 11 fifth-inning runs to narrow the gap to 15-13. The Lady Flames responded with three runs in the sixth, pulling away for the 18-13 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
The Lady Flames (9-4) improved to 3-0 at the Liberty Softball Classic, while the Wildcats (0-4) have lost each of their first four games this weekend.
Scoring Summary
Liberty – 1st INNING – Sweat doubles, Gibson, Canetto, Bishop-Riley score, 3-0
Liberty – 2nd INNING – Bishop-Riley doubles, Bishop, Howard score, 5-0
Liberty – 2nd INNING – Gibson homers, Bishop-Riley scores, 7-0
Liberty – 2nd INNING – Sweat homers, Hudson scores, 9-0
Villanova – 3rd INNING – DaCosta singles, Giampolo scores, Rauch scores on an error, 9-2
Liberty – 4th INNING – Gibson triple, Canetto and Hodum score, 11-2
Liberty – 4th INNING – Sweat doubles, Gibson scores, 12-2
Liberty – 4th INNING – Howard homers, Channell and Sweat score, 15-2
Villanova – 5th INNING – Henry homers, DaCAsta, Kern and Giampolo score, 15-6
Villanova – 5th INNING – Hayes walks, Jones scores, 15-7
Villanova – 5th INNING – Giampolo singles, Sebastian scores, 15-8
Villanova – 5th INNING – Rauch singles, Ostrowski scores, 15-9
Villanova – 5th INNING – DaCosta homers, Kern, Rauch, Giampolo score, 15-13
Liberty – 6th INNING – Bishop flies out, sacrifice fly, Griffin scores, 16-13
Liberty – 6th INNING – Bishop-Riley singles, Via and Howard score, 18-13
Notable Numbers
- Liberty tied a program record with 19 hits today, while Villanova totaled 11 hits. The Lady Flames committed two errors which led to six unearned runs.
- The teams combined for 12 extra-base hits, as the Lady Flames connected for five doubles, one triple and three homers and Villanova recorded a double and two grand slams.
- Liberty's Emily Kirby (2-1) earned the win, allowing six runs (four earned) on six hits, walking four and striking out three in 4 1/3 innings. Naomi Jones yielded four runs, three earned, on one hit, walking three while not retiring a batter. Karlie Keeney pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, yielding three unearned runs on four hits while striking out one.
- Paige Rauch (0-2) drew the loss, allowing nine runs on 10 hits and striking out two in two innings pitched. Anissa Amarillas yielded six runs on six hits in 1/3 innings and Sara Kennedy gave up the final three runs in two innings of work.
- Amber Bishop-Riley went 4-for-5 with a double, four RBI and two runs scored, while Emily Sweat batted 3-for-3 with two doubles, a homer and a Liberty Softball Stadium-record six RBI. Blake Gibson went 3-for-4 with a triple, homer and a career-high four RBI. Devyn Howard batted 2-for-4 with a double, homer and three RBI, while Kara Canetto went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
- Julia DaCosta (2-for-3, five RBI) and Ryan Henry (2-for-4, four RBI) both hit grand slams for Villanova in the fifth inning.
Turning Point
- Liberty scored six runs in the second to build a 9-0 lead, getting two-run hits from Bishop-Riley (double), Gibson (homer) and Sweat (homer).
- The Lady Flames added six runs in the fourth on a two-run triple by Gibson, an RBI single from Sweat and a three-run blast by Howard.
- Trailing 15-2, the Wildcats scored 11 runs on seven hits, with one Liberty error in the fifth inning.
- Liberty pulled away with three runs in the sixth.
Beyond the Box Score
- Liberty is now 2-0 all-time in softball against Villanova, defeating the Wildcats 4-3 in eight innings yesterday before today's 18-13 slugfest.
- Today's game featured the most combined runs, 31, in any game ever played at Liberty Softball Stadium.
- Villanova's 11 runs in the fifth inning were the most in any single innings in Liberty Softball Stadium history.
- Liberty's 13 runs allowed are tied for the most they have given up in a game where they still won. The Lady Flames posted a 14-13 win over ETSU, March 6, 2012.
- The Lady Flames are 6-0 this season when scoring in the first inning.
- Liberty extended its home winning streak to 19 games. The Lady Flames came into the weekend with the third-longest active home winning streak in NCAA Division I softball, trailing only Drake and Boston University.
- Liberty has beaten 17 straight unranked opponents, dating back to last season, and has gone 33-0 in its last 33 home games against unranked nonconference opponents.
- Liberty's 19 hits tie a program record, last set April 7, 2013 at Charleston Southern.
- Sweat's six RBI are the most by a Lady Flame in a single game since Amber Bishop recorded six RBI on March 17, 2017 at Charleston Southern.
- Sweat is the first Lady Flame to have three extra base hits in a single game since Sarah Robertson had three doubles against N.C. Central on March 11, 2017.
- Gibson and Howard both hit their first home runs as a Lady Flame today, while both set career highs in RBI.
- Villanova's grand slams were the sixth and seventh hit in Liberty Softball Stadium history.
- Additional Liberty Softball Stadium records set today:
Most RBI (16 by Liberty – previous record: 16 by Liberty vs Delaware State, Feb. 21, 2019)
Most total bases (35 by Liberty – previous record: 29 by Baylor vs. Delaware, March 9, 2018)
Most earned runs scored (18 by Liberty (tied) – record: 18 by Liberty vs. Delaware State – Feb. 21, 2019)
Total bases (individual) (8 by Emily Sweat (tied))
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kirby, Emily (2-1)
L: Paige Rauch (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Megan Kern 1
HR: Julia DaCosta 1 ; Ryan Henry 1
RBI: Angela Giampolo 1 ; Paige Rauch 1 ; Julia DaCosta 5 ; Ryan Henry 4 ; Sydney Hayes 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Angela Giampolo 3 ; Paige Rauch 2 ; Megan Kern 2 ; Julia DaCosta 2 ; Ryan Henry 1 ; Ally Jones 1 ; Victoria Sebastian 1 ; Brooklyn Ostrowski 1
CS: Victoria Sebastian 1
Batting:
2B: Bishop-Riley, Amber 1 ; Hudson, Caroline 1 ; Sweat, Emily 2 ; Howard, Devyn 1
3B: Gibson, Blake 1
HR: Gibson, Blake 1 ; Sweat, Emily 1 ; Howard, Devyn 1
RBI: Bishop, Autumn 1 ; Bishop-Riley, Amber 4 ; Gibson, Blake 4 ; Sweat, Emily 6 ; Howard, Devyn 3
SH: Canetto, Kara 1
SF: Bishop, Autumn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bishop, Autumn 1 ; Bishop-Riley, Amber 2 ; Hodum, Megan 1 ; Canetto, Kara 2 ; Gibson, Blake 3 ; Hudson, Caroline 1 ; Sweat, Emily 2 ; Channell, Savannah 1 ; Griffin, Denay 1 ; Howard, Devyn 3 ; Via, Madison 1
