Liberty Travels to Take On No. 13 Virgina Tech
4/2/2024 2:14:00 PM | Softball
Liberty (20-14, 10-2 Conference USA) heads to Blacksburg, Va., on Wednesday to take on No. 13 Virginia Tech (25-8-1, 9-3 ACC).
Game Coverage
Game Coverage
- Liberty at Virginia Tech (Tech Softball Park)
- First pitch: Wednesday at 6 p.m.
- TV: ACC Network
- Radio: LFSN Radio
- The Lady Flames swept Louisiana Tech at home on the weekend in a series where both teams entered play in a tie for first in CUSA standings. Liberty held the Bulldogs to just six total hits, with freshman Kaylan Yoder tossing two shutouts and classmate Katie Love pitching one shutout. It was the fourth time in program history Liberty has gone a full three-game series without allowing a single run.
- Virginia Tech was swept in a three-game series at Duke last weekend. The Hokies entered this week ranked in the top 10 nationally in four offensive categories, including third in home runs per game (2.12), fourth in runs per game (7.91) and fourth in slugging percentage (.647).
- The Hokies were ranked No. 13 in this week's ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll and 15th in the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll. Liberty has wins over two Top 25 teams so far this season, in No. 25 Penn State and No. 21 Charlotte.
- Liberty associate head coach Kasey Fagan and assistant coach Sami Fagan will get to coach against their sister, Virginia Tech senior infielder Cameron Fagan.
- Yoder was named CUSA Pitcher of the Week on Monday. She went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, allowing just three hits while striking out 18 batters in 16 innings pitched. Yoder and Katie Love are the first pair of Liberty teammates since Chase Cassady and Julia DiMartino in 2016 to both be named conference pitcher of the week in the same season.
- For the season, Rachel Roupe (.350) is third in the CUSA in slugging percentage (.738) and home runs (9) and second in runs scored (26). KK Madrey (.284) batted a team-best .383 during March, while Sierra Kersten (.276) leads the team with 21 RBI. Mary Claire Wilson (.275) has scored 23 runs, while Megan Fortner (.263) has recorded seven homers and 19 RBI. Hailey Deter (.262) is second on the team with seven doubles.
- Kaylan Yoder (8-5, 2.32 ERA) has pitched shutouts in four of her last five starts. Yoder leads the CUSA with 80 strikeouts. Katie Love (5-3, 3.69) pitched a no-hitter against Jacksonville State on March 16 and ranks third in CUSA in opponents' batting average (.207). Elena Escobar (4-1, 2.55 ERA) is ranked seventh in the conference in ERA. Seven out of Liberty's eight shutouts this season have come at home.
Players Mentioned
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