Lady Flames Open Week with Tuesday Clash at No. 2 UCLA
2/13/2023 10:32:38 AM | Softball
The Liberty softball team, coming off of a 1-4 showing against a challenging field at the Mark Campbell Collegiate Invitational, opens week two on Tuesday at No. 2 UCLA. The Lady Flames then travel to Mexico for the Puerto Vallarta Collegiate Challenge, where another strong field awaits, Thursday through Sunday.
Easton Stadium
Los Angeles, Calif.
Tuesday, Feb. 14
Liberty at No. 2 UCLA - 9 p.m. ET Live Video | Live Stats
Puerto Vallarta College Challenge
Nancy Almaraz Stadium
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Liberty’s Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 16
Liberty vs. Ole Miss – 1:30 p.m. ET Live Video (FloSoftball) | Live Stats
Friday, Feb. 17
Liberty vs. Kansas – 7 p.m. ET Live Video (FloSoftball) | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 18
Liberty vs. No. 13 Tennessee - 7 p.m. ET Live Video (FloSoftball) | Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 19
Liberty vs. Cal State Fullerton – 10:30 a.m. ET Live Video (FloSoftball) | Live Stats
• The Lady Flames played toe-to-toe with the two-time defending national champion Oklahoma in the season opener, with Karlie Keeney holding the Sooners to no earned runs on just five hits in a 1-0, eight-inning setback. Liberty also fell in extra innings to No. 16 Duke before run-ruling San Jose State on Saturday for its first win of the season. To date, four of Liberty's first five games this season have been against Top 25 opponents.
• Paige Bachman tossed a two-hit shutout in an 8-0, six-inning win over San Jose State on Saturday. She became the first Lady Flame since Ali Thompson in 2001 to earn a shutout victory in her first career pitching start.
• Alexis Soto hit her first career grand slam, Saturday against San Jose State. She joins Mary Claire Wilson, Rachel Craine and Rachel Roupe (2) as current Liberty players who have hit at least one grand slam as a Lady Flame.
• Tuesday will be Liberty's second-ever game at UCLA, the alma mater of 10th-year head coach Dr. Dot Richardson. The Bruins came back from a 3-2 fifth-inning deficit before winning 4-3 in walk-off fashion over the Lady Flames, March 9, 2019. The Lady Flames opened that same 2019 season at the Puerto Vallarta Collegiate Challenge, defeating BYU before falling to Duke, Notre Dame, Baylor and Washington.
• Coach Richardson was named the NCAA Softball Player of the Decade for the 1980's, playing on UCLA's 1982 national championship team. Richardson is featured on the left-field wall at UCLA's Easton Stadium.
Team Notes
- Liberty has turned five double plays so far this season. That includes a program-record-tying three against San Jose State, the third time in program history Liberty has had three double plays in a game.
- The Lady Flames have now made five trips to California in program history with four out of those six coming under Coach Richardson, including three seasons in a row (2017 through 2019).
- Liberty's incoming class features five transfers, including three (Sierra Kersten - Michigan, KK Madrey - LSU, Savannah Woodard - Alabama) from Power 5 schools and two (Emily Estroff - FGCU and Megan Fortner - Jacksonville State) who have transferred within the ASUN Conference. The Lady Flames also welcome three freshmen to the team this season. All five of Liberty's incoming transfers started at least one game on opening weekend, in addition to freshman Brynn McManus.
- For the fifth year in a row, Liberty has been voted first in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll. The Lady Flames return ASUN first team all-conference selections Caroline Hudson and Devyn Howard and second-team all-conference choices Paige Bachman, Karlie Keeney, Rachel Roupe and Mary Claire Wilson.
