Tuesday, March 12
Lynchburg, Va.
4:00 PM ET
Liberty University
11-12
1
vs
4
Duke
20-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Duke
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
4
6
1
Liberty
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
No. 4 Duke Wins Solo Home Run Derby at Liberty, 4-1
3/12/2024 6:57:00 PM | Softball
LYNCHBURG, Va. - In a game where all of the scoring came via solo home runs, Duke's three sixth-inning long balls sent the fourth-ranked visiting Blue Devils past Liberty 4-1, Tuesday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
Duke (20-1) pushed its winning streak to a program record-tying 20 games, as the Blue Devils also won 20 straight games during the 2021 season. The Lady Flames fall to 11-12 with their second consecutive setback.
Scoring Summary
Liberty – 1st INNING – Roupe homers to right, 1-0
Duke - 5th INNING – Goddard homers to center, 1-1
Duke – 6th INNING – Vega homers to left, 2-1
Duke – 6th INNING – Torres homers to left, 3-1
Duke – 6th INNING – Baker homers to left, 4-1
Turning Point
Liberty will host former Atlantic Sun opponent Jacksonville State in a three-game Conference USA series, Friday through Sunday at Liberty Softball Stadium.
Duke (20-1) pushed its winning streak to a program record-tying 20 games, as the Blue Devils also won 20 straight games during the 2021 season. The Lady Flames fall to 11-12 with their second consecutive setback.
Scoring Summary
Liberty – 1st INNING – Roupe homers to right, 1-0
Duke - 5th INNING – Goddard homers to center, 1-1
Duke – 6th INNING – Vega homers to left, 2-1
Duke – 6th INNING – Torres homers to left, 3-1
Duke – 6th INNING – Baker homers to left, 4-1
Turning Point
- Liberty led 1-0 just one batter into its time at the plate on Rachel Roupe's leadoff homer in the first. The Lady Flames had a chance to extend their lead by a wide margin, but left the bases loaded to end the fourth. Duke then tied it on Sarah Goddard's solo homer in the next half-inning.
- The Blue Devils took the lead for good with sixth-inning home runs from Amina Vega, Kelly Torres and Jada Baker.
- Duke outhit Liberty 6-4 for the game, with the Blue Devils committing the game's lone error.
- Lillie Walker (4-0) earned the win, tossing 3 1/3 innings of one-hit softball in relief while striking out three. Duke starter Cassidy Curd gave up one run on three hits, walking two and fanning four in 3 2/3 innings.
- Liberty's Kaylan Yoder (3-5) drew the loss, allowing three runs on five hits, walking two and striking out one in five innings. Katie Love yielded one run on one hit, allowing one walk in two innings of relief pitching.
- Six different Blue Devils recorded hits, with Baker, Goddard, Torres and Vega all homering.
- Roupe went 1-for-4 with a homer, one RBI and one runs scored. Mary Claire Wilson, Megan Fortner and Brynn McManus all singled for Liberty.
- Duke is now 5-2 all-time against Liberty in softball, with the Blue Devils winning each of the last four meetings. These two teams have split the two meetings all-time at Liberty Softball Stadium, with Liberty downing Duke 8-3 on April 20, 2022.
- Prior to today's setback, Liberty was 5-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents 29-3 at the Liberty Softball Classic in late February.
- The Lady Flames are 1-5 against Top 25 opponents this season and 5-8 versus nationally ranked teams in Liberty Softball Stadium history.
- Prior to Roupe's leadoff homer today, Duke had not given up a single run since Feb. 25 against Villanova. The Blue Devils tossed seven straight shutouts before today.
- The last time Liberty allowed four homers in a game was April 12, 2022 at Virginia Tech.
- Roupe hit her team-leading eighth home run of the season and 31st of her career. It was her second homer to lead off a game, as she also did so on March 1 against Tulsa.
Liberty will host former Atlantic Sun opponent Jacksonville State in a three-game Conference USA series, Friday through Sunday at Liberty Softball Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lillie Walker (4-0)
L: Yoder, Kaylan (3-5)
Batting:
HR: Aminah Vega 1 ; Kelly Torres 1 ; Jada Baker 1 ; Sarah Goddard 1
RBI: Aminah Vega 1 ; Kelly Torres 1 ; Jada Baker 1 ; Sarah Goddard 1
SH: Jada Baker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Aminah Vega 1 ; Kelly Torres 1 ; Jada Baker 1 ; Sarah Goddard 1
HBP: Ana Gold 1 ; Kelly Torres 1
Batting:
HR: Roupe, Rachel 1
RBI: Roupe, Rachel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Roupe, Rachel 1
HBP: Barrett, Raigan 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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