Friday, March 7
Lynchburg, Va.
6:00 PM ET
Liberty University
18-4, 1-0
10
vs
4
Kennesaw State
8-15, 0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Kennesaw State
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
4
8
1
Liberty
1
1
2
3
0
3
X
10
14
1
Richardson Earns 400th Career Win, Liberty Downs KSU 10-4 in CUSA Opener
3/7/2025 9:15:00 PM | Softball
LYNCHBURG, Va. - Liberty scored eight unanswered runs, rallying for a 10-4 win over Kennesaw State in both teams' CUSA opener, Friday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
The 22nd-ranked Lady Flames improve to 18-4, including 1-0 in CUSA play with their sixth consecutive win. Meanwhile, KSU falls to 8-15, dropping their first conference game as a member of Conference USA.
Tonight was the 400th career coaching victory for Liberty's 12th-year Head Coach Dot Richardson. She becomes the second head coach in Liberty softball history with 400 or more career wins, joining Paul Wetmore (1994-2013).
Liberty 10, Kennesaw State 4
Scoring Summary
Liberty – 1st INNING – McManus steals home, Roberts out in rundown, 1-0
Liberty – 2nd INNING – Craine singles to left center, Madrey scores, 2-0
KSU – 3rd INNING – Shaver singles to center, Harvey advances, Hardeman scores, 2-1
KSU – 3rd INNING – Gore doubles to left, Shaver and Harvey score, 3-2
KSU – 3rd INNING – Guzowski doubles to left, Gore scores, 4-2
Liberty – 3rd INNING – McManus homers to right center, Roupe scores, 4-4
Liberty – 4th INNING – Woodard inside the park homer, Whatley and Norris score, 7-4
Liberty – 6th INNING – Roupe homers to center, Woodard and Whatley score, 10-4
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Turning Point
The Lady Flames and Owls play the middle game of this weekend's series, tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Liberty Softball Stadium.
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The 22nd-ranked Lady Flames improve to 18-4, including 1-0 in CUSA play with their sixth consecutive win. Meanwhile, KSU falls to 8-15, dropping their first conference game as a member of Conference USA.
Tonight was the 400th career coaching victory for Liberty's 12th-year Head Coach Dot Richardson. She becomes the second head coach in Liberty softball history with 400 or more career wins, joining Paul Wetmore (1994-2013).
Liberty 10, Kennesaw State 4
Scoring Summary
Liberty – 1st INNING – McManus steals home, Roberts out in rundown, 1-0
Liberty – 2nd INNING – Craine singles to left center, Madrey scores, 2-0
KSU – 3rd INNING – Shaver singles to center, Harvey advances, Hardeman scores, 2-1
KSU – 3rd INNING – Gore doubles to left, Shaver and Harvey score, 3-2
KSU – 3rd INNING – Guzowski doubles to left, Gore scores, 4-2
Liberty – 3rd INNING – McManus homers to right center, Roupe scores, 4-4
Liberty – 4th INNING – Woodard inside the park homer, Whatley and Norris score, 7-4
Liberty – 6th INNING – Roupe homers to center, Woodard and Whatley score, 10-4
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Turning Point
- KSU took advantage of a Liberty error in the top of the third, going ahead 4-2 with four unearned runs after two outs.
- The Lady Flames responded with a game-tying two-run blast from Brynn McManus in the bottom of the third. Savannah Woodard then hit a three-run inside-the-park home run in the fourth. Rachel Roupe's three-run homer in the sixth removed all doubt, setting the ultimate final score at 10-4.Â
- Liberty recorded season highs in both hits (14) and home runs (3), outhitting the Owls 14-8. Both teams committed one error. The Lady Flames struck out a season-high 11 batters.
- Elena Escobar (6-1) earned the win, tossing 4 1/3 inning of two-hit relief with one walk and eight strikeouts. Liberty starter Paige Bachman pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing four unearned runs on six hits, with three strikeouts.
- KSU reliever Emma Friedel (4-5) drew the loss, allowing six runs on six hits, walking one and fanning one in two innings pitched in relief of starter Leah Jannakos.
- Savannah Woodard went 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored, while Rachel Roupe batted 2-for-4 with a homer, three RBI and two runs. Brynn McManus batted 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and two runs. Brooke Roberts batted 2-for-4 and Savanah Whatley went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. KK Madrey stole her team-leading 20th base of the season.
- Liberty leads KSU 19-6 in the all-time series, with the Lady Flames winning each of the last 13 meetings.
- The Lady Flames are 9-1 in their last 10 conference openers, including 2-0 in Conference USA openers.
- Today was Liberty's first three-homer game since April 26, 2024 at UTEP.
- Savannah Woodard scored her 100th and 101st career runs tonight, joining teammates KK Madrey and Rachel Roupe in the 100-run club.
- Woodard is the first Lady Flame since Mary Claire Wilson to hit an inside-the-park home run, March 5, 2021.
- Woodard the is the first Liberty player since Rachel Roupe (April 23, 2024 at Longwood, April 26, 2024 at UTEP) with homers in back-to-back games.
- Liberty has not allowed an earned run in its last 21 1/3 innings pitched.Â
- Liberty has homered in six straight games. That is the team's longest streak of consecutive games with at least one homer since a nine-game streak in 2023.
- Roupe is now tied with Kelly Strickland (2009-12) for third in program history with 45 career home runs. Nearly half (22) of her career homers have come at Liberty Softball Stadium.
- Liberty is 10-1 at home this season.
- The Lady Flames extended their winning streak to six games. It is the team's second winning streak of six or more games so far this year (also opened the season with an 8-0 record).
The Lady Flames and Owls play the middle game of this weekend's series, tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Liberty Softball Stadium.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Escobar, Elena (6-1)
L: FRIEDEL, Emma (4-5)
Batting:
2B: GORE, Ana 1 ; GUZOWSKI, Ava 1 ; HARDEMAN, Ty 1
RBI: SHAVER, Lexie 1 ; GORE, Ana 2 ; GUZOWSKI, Ava 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HARVEY, Hannah 1 ; SHAVER, Lexie 1 ; GORE, Ana 1 ; HARDEMAN, Ty 1
Batting:
2B: McManus, Brynn 1 ; Whatley, Savanah 1
HR: Woodard, Savannah 1 ; Roupe, Rachel 1 ; McManus, Brynn 1
RBI: Woodard, Savannah 3 ; Roupe, Rachel 3 ; McManus, Brynn 2 ; Craine, Rachel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Woodard, Savannah 2 ; Roupe, Rachel 2 ; McManus, Brynn 2 ; Madrey, KK 1 ; Norris, Aubry 1 ; Whatley, Savanah 2
SB: McManus, Brynn 1 ; Doerr, Paige 2 ; Madrey, KK 1 ; Craine, Rachel 1 ; Norris, Aubry 1
HBP: Jessee, Savannah 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
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