Liberty University
21-11, 3-1
Kennesaw State
13-16, 6-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennesaw State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Liberty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
Kennesaw State Posts 3-2 Comeback Win at Liberty
4/2/2021 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Liberty held a 2-0 lead entering the seventh inning before Kennesaw State's Taylor Cates hit a three-run home run to spur a 3-2 KSU win over the Lady Flames on Friday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
KSU (13-16, 6-1 ASUN) extended its winning streak to four games, one which began with a three-game series sweep at North Alabama last weekend. The Lady Flames (21-11, 3-1) have dropped each of their first two games this week after winning four straight games. These two teams are playing a doubleheader today and a single game tomorrow.
Scoring Summary
Liberty – 5th INNING – Bishop-Riley, Bishop scores, 1-0
Liberty – 6th INNING – Via singles, Jones scores, 2-0
KSU – 7th INNING – Cates homers, Cooper and Summey score, 3-2
Notable Numbers
- Liberty doubled up the Owls in hits, 8-4. KSU committed two errors, while the Lady Flames committed one error. The hosts left 10 runners on base compared to just two runners stranded for Kennesaw State.
- Melanie Bennett (11-8) allowed two runs (one earned) on eight hits, walking three and striking out one in the complete-game effort.
- Emily Kirby (6-4) drew the loss, yielding three runs on three hits, striking out six and walking one in six innings. Karlie Keeney yielded one hit in one inning of relief.
- Cates batted 1-for-3 with a homer, three RBI and one run scored.
- Savannah Channell and Kara Canetto had two hits apiece, with Canetto, Autumn Bishop and Amber Bishop-Riley hitting one double each.
Turning Point
- Liberty scored on RBI hits by Bishop-Riley (fifth-inning double) and Madison Via (sixth-inning single), taking a 2-0 lead into the seventh.
- The Owls managed just one hit through the first six innings, but Lexi Solorzano led off with a single. After a four-pitch walk to Cheyanne Sales, Cates put KSU ahead with a three-run homer. Keeney came on in relief to get the final three outs.
- Canetto doubled with one out in the bottom of the seventh, and Denay Griffin then walked. However, a pair of groundouts sealed the comeback win for KSU.
Beyond the Box Score
- Liberty is now 6-5 all-time in softball against Kennesaw State.
- The Lady Flames entered the seventh inning of today's game without allowing a single run in their first 25 innings pitched in ASUN play this season.
- Liberty is now 17-3 when scoring first in a game this season.
- The Lady Flames lost for the first time this year when leading entering the seventh inning, as Liberty is now 7-1 when leading after six innings.
- Amber Bishop-Riley, already the Lady Flames' all-time leader in RBI, recorded her 200th career RBI in today's game.
- Bishop is Liberty's career leader and is second in the NCAA among active players with 65 career doubles. Today's double marked the 16th time in her career she has led off a game with a double.
- Today's pitching matchup featured the last two ASUN Pitcher of the Week honorees, as Kirby earned the award on March 22 and Bennett was honored on Monday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bennett (11-8)
L: Kirby, Emily (6-4)
Batting:
HR: Cates 1
RBI: Cates 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Summey 1 ; Cooper 1 ; Cates 1
SB: Alexander 1
CS: Greep 1
Batting:
2B: Bishop, Autumn 1 ; Bishop-Riley, Amber 1 ; Canetto, Kara 1
RBI: Bishop-Riley, Amber 1 ; Via, Madison 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bishop, Autumn 1 ; Jones, Naomi 1
CS: Hodum, Megan 1
HBP: Gibson, Blake 1
