Liberty University
30-17, 13-5
Central Arkansas
33-9, 16-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| Central Arkansas | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Liberty Earns 4-3 Comeback Win at No. 24 Central Arkansas
4/23/2023 2:23:58 PM | Softball
Liberty rallied from a 2-0 deficit with a pair of two-run innings, rallying for a 4-3 win over No. 24 Central Arkansas to salvage one game in the series, Sunday at Farris Field.
The Lady Flames (30-17, 13-5) notched their 30th win of the season and second Top 25 win of the week (also defeating No. 13 Alabama on Tuesday). Meanwhile, ASUN leader Central Arkansas (33-9, 16-2) saw its winning streak snapped at 14 games. The Bears won this weekend’s series by virtue of a doubleheader sweep yesterday.
Scoring Summary
UCA – 3rd INNING – Wildeman scores on wild pitch, Harris advances, 1-0
UCA – 3rd INNING – Young singles to center, Harris scores, 2-0
Liberty – 4th INNING – Craine singles to left, Roupe advances, Hudson scores, 2-1
Liberty – 4th INNING – Woodard singles to center, Fortner advances, Craine scores, 2-2
Liberty – 6th INNING – McManus reaches on error, Wilson advances, Heidorn scores, 3-2
Liberty – 6th INNING – Madrey reaches on error, McManus advances, Wilson scores, 4-2
Notable Numbers
- Liberty outhit UCA 9-3 for the game, with the Bears recording the game’s lone error. The Lady Flames left six runners on base compared to three stranded for the Bears.
- Karlie Keeney (21-8) earned the win, allowing three runs on three hits, walking three and striking out three. She started all four games this week, tossing 24 out of Liberty’s 26 innings pitched.
- Kayla Beaver (17-6) drew the loss, allowing two runs on seven hits, striking out six in four relief innings. UCA starter Jordan Johnson allowed two runs on three hits in three innings.
- Seven different Lady Flames recorded hits. Rachel Craine went 2-for-4 with a double, one run scored and one RBI, while KK Madrey batted 2-for-3 with one RBI. Caroline Hudson, Lilly Heidorn and Mary Claire Wilson all scored one run each.
- For UCA, Morgan Nelson went 1-for-3 with an RBI double, while Madi Young batted 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored and Mary Kate Brown went 1-for-3.
Turning Point
- Trailing 2-0, Liberty chased starter Johnson with two quick hits by Hudson and Roupe the start the fourth. Beaver came on in relief, but gave up RBI singles to Craine and Woodard which tied the game at 2-2.
- Craine led off the sixth with a double. After two outs, Sierra Kersten singled, putting runners on the corners. McManus then reached on an infield single, scoring Heidorn, before Madrey beat out an infield hit which plated Mary Claire Wilson for a 4-2 lead.
- Liberty appeared to be out of the bottom of the sixth when it turned a double play. However, the third out was overturned upon review. Nelson then hit an RBI double, with Brown being stopped at third. The inning ended with Keeney getting Colleen Bare to ground out.
Beyond the Box Score
- Central Arkansas is 2-1 all-time against Liberty in softball, as this weekend marked the first meetings between the two teams.
- The Lady Flames are now 2-10 against Top 25 teams this season. Liberty has posted 19 wins all-time versus nationally-ranked opponents, with 13 of those wins coming under current Head Coach Dot Richardson. The Lady Flames have recorded at least one win over a Top 25 team in each of the last six seasons.
- Liberty has secured its 17th 30-win season in program history, while winning 30 or more games in each of the last seven full seasons (2016-19, 2021-23).
- Keeney is Liberty’s all-time leader in wins over Top 25 opponents, with six nationally-ranked wins.
- With the win, Keeney is now tied with Liberty Athletics Hall of Famer Katie Phillips (1996-99) for second place in program history with 62 career wins.
- Keeney is the first Liberty pitcher since Annah Jo Brittingham at Longwood in 2014 to start all three games of a conference series. However, that series consisted of a doubleheader on March 20 and a single game one week later.
- Hudson became just the 10th player in program history to record both 100 career runs scored and 100 career RBI, as she scored her 100th career run today.
- Today marked the first time this season that Liberty has scored exactly four runs in a game.
Up Next
Liberty returns home for its next five games. The Lady Flames begin the homestand on Wednesday, hosting No. 6 Clemson at 5 p.m. at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
Featured in photo: Rachel Craine
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Keeney, Karlie (21-8)
L: BEAVER, Kayl (17-6)
Batting:
2B: Craine, Rachel 1
RBI: Craine, Rachel 1 ; Woodard, Savannah 1 ; McManus, Brynn 1 ; Madrey, KK 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hudson, Caroline 1 ; Craine, Rachel 1 ; Heidorn, Lilly 1 ; Wilson, Mary Claire 1
Batting:
2B: NELSON, Morg 1
RBI: YOUNG, Madi 1 ; NELSON, Morg 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HARRIS, Trem 1 ; YOUNG, Madi 1 ; WILDEMAN, Je 1
SB: WILDEMAN, Je 1
CS: YOUNG, Madi 1
HBP: WILLINGHAM 1
