Liberty University
29-12, 10-2
Lipscomb
14-16, 3-7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| Lipscomb | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Liberty Completes Shutout Sweep, 4-0 Over Lipscomb
4/18/2021 12:00:00 AM | Softball
For the second time this season, Liberty held an ASUN team scoreless in a complete three-game series, as the Lady Flames capped a shutout sweep at Lipscomb 4-0 on Sunday at Draper Diamond.
With the win, its eighth in a row, Liberty (29-12) is now tied with Kennesaw State for first place in the ASUN North standings at 10-2. The Bisons fall to 14-16, 3-7 in ASUN play with their third straight loss.
Liberty is on an eight-game winning streak, its longest of the season and longest since winning 11 in a row, Feb. 17 through March 8, 2019.
Scoring Summary
Liberty – 1st INNING – Bishop homers, 1-0
Liberty – 3rd INNING – Canetto triples, Bishop scores, 2-0
Liberty – 5th INNING – Gibson doubles, Canetto scores, 3-0
Liberty – 7th INNING – Bishop-Riley homers, 4-0
Notable Numbers
- Liberty outhit Lipscomb 9-3 for the game, with the Bisons committing one error. The Lady Flames left nine runners on base compared to five stranded for Lipscomb.
- Liberty posted its fifth straight shutout, all in ASUN play. That is the longest streak of consecutive conference shutouts in program history. Liberty has not allowed a single run in its last 39 innings pitched.
- Emily Kirby (9-4) tossed her ASUN-leading sixth shutout of the season and second this weekend, striking out seven and walking two while allowing three hits.
- Breana Burke (10-7) drew the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits, walking two and fanning seven.
- Autumn Bishop went 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored and one RBI, while Kara Canetto (2-for-4) tripled and Emily Sweat (2-for-3) doubled. Amber Bishop-Riley hit her conference-best 13th home run.
Turning Point
- Autumn Bishop led off the game with a home run, and the Lady Flames scored one run in each of the four odd-numbered innings.
- Kirby was in command all afternoon. She tossed 1-2-3 innings in the first, third, fifth and seventh and left five combined on base in the even-numbered frames.
Beyond the Box Score
- This was the second time this season, and third time in program history, that Liberty has gone a full conference series without allowing a single run. The Lady Flames shut out Bellarmine in all three games, March 19-20.
- Liberty now leads the all-time series against Lipscomb 6-2, including 3-0 at Draper Diamond.
- Liberty is now 18-1 when scoring in the first inning and 25-4 when scoring first.
- Bishop led off the game with a homer, the fourth time this year and seventh time in her career that she has hit a leadoff home run. Bishop is the 12th player in program history with a 10-homer season.
- This is the first time since 2011 (Kelly Strickland – 16, Ashley Bensinger – 10) that two Lady Flames hit 10 or more home runs in the same season.
- The Bishop twins are one of 20 sets of twins currently playing as teammates in NCAA Division I softball. They are the first set of twins to both hit 10 homers this season, narrowly beating Arizona State's Maddi and Kindra Hackbarth.
- This is the fifth time this season and eighth time in their careers that both Amber Bishop-Riley and Autumn Bishop homered in the same game.
- Bishop passed Stacy Radulovich (1996-99) into third place in program history with 168 career runs scored.
- Sweat has set a new season high in doubles with 10 this year. She had nine doubles as a freshman, when she was named to the 2017 Big South All-Freshman Team.
- Kirby has not allowed a single run in her last 20 innings pitched. Her consecutive scoreless innings streak is the longest since Julia DiMartino tossed 37 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings from Feb. 16 through March 9, 2019.
- Kirby is the 15th pitcher in program history with a 100-strikeout season to her name.
- Kirby is the fourth pitcher in program history with six shutouts in a single season, joining Julia DiMartino (2016-19), Leslie Inge (1999) and Katie Phillips (1997, 1999).
Up Next
Liberty will return home for its next five games, beginning with a Wednesday matchup against Virginia at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kirby, Emily (9-4)
L: BURKE (10-7)
Batting:
2B: Gibson, Blake 1 ; Sweat, Emily 1
3B: Canetto, Kara 1
HR: Bishop, Autumn 1 ; Bishop-Riley, Amber 1
RBI: Bishop, Autumn 1 ; Bishop-Riley, Amber 1 ; Canetto, Kara 1 ; Gibson, Blake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bishop, Autumn 2 ; Bishop-Riley, Amber 1 ; Canetto, Kara 1
SB: Canetto, Kara 1 ; Gibson, Blake 1 ; Via, Madison 1
HBP: Bishop-Riley, Amber 1
Batting:
2B: CRAWFORD 1
