Liberty to Take on Bellarmine, Celebrate Senior Day
4/23/2021 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Game Day Central
Game Notes
Liberty (30-12, 10-2 ASUN) hosts conference newcomer Bellarmine (6-26, 0-12) for the first time, Sunday at Monday at Liberty Softball Stadium. The Lady Flames swept Bellarmine in a three-game series, March 19-20 in Louisville, Ky., outscoring the Knights 17-0. It was the first of two series this season (also April 17-18 at Lipscomb) that the Lady Flames have not allowed a single run.
Liberty vs. Bellarmine
Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium
Sunday, April 25 (Game 1) - 1 p.m.
Live Video | Live Stats
Sunday, April 25 (Game 2) - 3 p.m.
Live Video | Live Stats
Monday, April 26 - 1 p.m.
Live Video | Live Stats
2021 Spring Sports Admissions/Tickets
Due to COVID-19 and state regulations, capacity at all Liberty Athletics events is under a limited capacity of 250 patrons or 30 percent capacity, whichever is less based on social distancing protocols, per Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's current Phase 3 guidelines. With those guidelines in place, admission to each event has been adjusted per sport. For more information regarding availability, please click here. Softball attendance is limited to home and visiting player pass lists only. Additional public tickets may be available on game day.
Liberty is tied for first with Kennesaw State in the ASUN North Division standings, while Bellarmine is looking for its first ASUN North Division victory.
On Wednesday, Liberty edged Virginia, 3-2, getting a key two-run triple from Devyn Howard in the fourth inning. Karlie Keeney earned her team-high 11th win, while Emily Kirby picked up the save. Liberty's overall shutout innings streak ended at 40 1/3 innings, its longest since a program-record 60-inning streak in 2019. Liberty is now 4-1 against ACC teams this season.
The Lady Flames posted a 3-0 sweep over Lipscomb last weekend, outscoring the Bisons 12-0. Emily Kirby tossed two shutouts at Lipscomb, earning her second ASUN Pitcher of the Week honor of the season, while Karlie Keeney tossed a three-hitter in the middle game.
Liberty has a league-best 0.96 ERA in ASUN play and has not allowed a run in the last 39 innings of ASUN play, dating to the second inning against North Alabama, April 10.
The Lady Flames have outscored opponents 48-8 during their current nine-game winning streak, hitting .330 while holding opponents to just a .171 batting average. The streak started with a 3-2 walk-off win over Kennesaw State on April 3 and includes a pair of run-rule wins. Four Lady Flames are batting .400 or better during the last eight games, led by Kara Canetto (.481). Karlie Keeney (0.75 ERA) and Emily Kirby (0.81) both have tossed two shutouts during the winning streak.
Three-time NFCA All-Region player Amber Bishop-Riley bats .373 with an ASUN-leading 13 home runs, 32 runs scored and 35 RBI. Kara Canetto (.402) leads the ASUN in batting average. She has carried a .400 average deeper into a season than any Lady Flame since Tori Zavodny batted .407 through her first 51 games played in the 2017 season.
Bishop-Riley (13) and Autumn Bishop (10) are the first NCAA Division I twins to both reach 10 homers this season, edging out Maddi and Kindra Hackbarth of Arizona State for that distinction.
Two-time NFCA All-Region player Autumn Bishop (.343) is tied for fourth nationally with 15 doubles, while Savannah Channell bats .287. Madison Via (.269) has batted .367 (11-for-30) in ASUN play. Emily Sweat (.269) is ranked second in the ASUN with a career-high 11 doubles. Devyn Howard (.306) has hit eight doubles and one triple in just 49 at bats this season.
Liberty has fashioned 12 shutouts this season, including eight in conference play. Karlie Keeney (11-4, 2.58, four shutouts) is tied for second in the ASUN in wins. Emily Kirby (9-4, 2.02) has tossed six shutouts, the most shutouts by a Liberty left-hander since 1999 (Leslie Inge - 8). Kirby leads the ASUN with 9.11 strikeouts per seven innings in conference play. Megan Johnson (3-2, 3.20) has posted a 0.84 ERA in conference play this year. McKenzie Wagoner (4-2, 3.00) picked up her fourth win of the season with a strong relief outing at Virginia, April 6.
