Saturday, April 26
Ruston, LA
3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM CT
Liberty University
40-10, 19-3
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3
Louisiana Tech
29-20, 14-9
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4
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6
7
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LIBERTY
0
0
4
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9
15
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Louisiana Tech
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1
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3
3
2
Liberty Clinches CUSA Regular-Season Title, Downs LA Tech 9-3
4/26/2025 5:54:00 PM | Softball
RUSTON, La. -Â Liberty clinched its second straight Conference USA regular-season championship, scoring nine unanswered runs to earn a 9-3 win over Louisiana Tech on Saturday at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. Â
The Lady Flames (40-10, 19-3 CUSA) are the first team since North Texas (2019, 2021) to win back-to-back CUSA softball regular-season titles. Louisiana Tech entered the day in second place in CUSA standings, but falls to 29-20, 14-9 in conference play. Â Liberty will attempt the series sweep tomorrow. Â
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Liberty 9, Louisiana Tech 3
Scoring Summary
LA Tech – 1st INNING – Marchant homers to center, Gilio scores, 2-0
LA Tech – 2nd INNING – Briley singles to left, advances on throw, Grealey scores, 3-0
Liberty – 3rd INNING – Roupe walks, Whatley and Woodard advance, Jessee scores, 3-1
Liberty – 3rd INNING – Roberts sacrifice fly to center, Whatley scores, 3-2
Liberty – 3rd INNING – Madrey doubles to left, out at third, Woodard and Roupe score, 4-3
Liberty – 4th INNING – Whatley singles to left, Doerr and Heidorn score, 6-3
Liberty – 6th INNING – McManus singles to center, Whatley scores, 7-3
Liberty – 7th INNING – Craine reaches on fielder's choice, Norris advances, Madrey scores, 8-3
Liberty – 7th INNING – Jessee sacrifice fly to left, Norris scores, 9-3
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Turning Point
The Lady Flames and Bulldogs finish this weekend's series tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET (Noon CT).
The Lady Flames (40-10, 19-3 CUSA) are the first team since North Texas (2019, 2021) to win back-to-back CUSA softball regular-season titles. Louisiana Tech entered the day in second place in CUSA standings, but falls to 29-20, 14-9 in conference play. Â Liberty will attempt the series sweep tomorrow. Â
Â
Liberty 9, Louisiana Tech 3
Scoring Summary
LA Tech – 1st INNING – Marchant homers to center, Gilio scores, 2-0
LA Tech – 2nd INNING – Briley singles to left, advances on throw, Grealey scores, 3-0
Liberty – 3rd INNING – Roupe walks, Whatley and Woodard advance, Jessee scores, 3-1
Liberty – 3rd INNING – Roberts sacrifice fly to center, Whatley scores, 3-2
Liberty – 3rd INNING – Madrey doubles to left, out at third, Woodard and Roupe score, 4-3
Liberty – 4th INNING – Whatley singles to left, Doerr and Heidorn score, 6-3
Liberty – 6th INNING – McManus singles to center, Whatley scores, 7-3
Liberty – 7th INNING – Craine reaches on fielder's choice, Norris advances, Madrey scores, 8-3
Liberty – 7th INNING – Jessee sacrifice fly to left, Norris scores, 9-3
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Turning Point
- Liberty turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead, scoring four times in the third. Still leading 7-3 in the sixth, the Lady Flames got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning.
- The Lady Flames tacked on two runs in the seventh before Paige Bachman tossed a 1-2-3 final frame.
- Liberty outhit LA Tech 15-3 for the game, with the Bulldogs committing two errors and the Lady Flames one. The guests left seven on base, compared to six stranded by the host team.
- Bachman (10-2) has clinched her second career 10-win season (also 2023), improving to 10-2. She allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, walking four and striking out two in 6 2/3 innings. Tyler Oubre pitched 1/3 of an inning of relief.
- Laney Johnson (5-4) drew the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits, walking two and fanning one in 3 1/3 innings before giving way to Mattison Buster.
- Savanah Whatley batted 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, while KK Madrey went 2-for-4 with a double, one steal, two RBI and one run scored. Savannah Woodard, Paige Doerr and Savannah Jessee all had two hits.
- For LA Tech, KB Briley went 2-for-3 with one RBI, while Reagan Marchant batted 1-for-1 with a homer, two RBI and one run scored.Â
- Liberty leads Louisiana Tech 8-0 in the all-time series, including 6-0 since joining Conference USA.
- This is Liberty's ninth conference regular-season title all-time, including sixth under current head coach Dot Richardson. The Lady Flames won the Big South regular-season crown in 1999, 2000, 2007, 2017 and 2018, two ASUN regular-season championships (2021, 2022) and two CUSA regular-season titles (2024, 2025).
- The Lady Flames have now won all 16 conference series since joining Conference USA prior to the 2024 season.
- Whatley recorded her first career four-hit game, and she is the first Lady Flame since KK Madrey (April 29, 2023 versus Austin Peay) to have four hits in a game.
- Madrey has tied Katie Zavodny's (2013) single-season program record of 41.
- Roupe has 35 RBI in Conference USA play this season, breaking the CUSA record for conference-only RBI set by Sierra Frazier of UAB and Kailey Gamble of North Texas in 2022 with 34 each.
- Savannah Woodard has reached in 19 games in a row.
The Lady Flames and Bulldogs finish this weekend's series tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET (Noon CT).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bachman, Paige (10-2)
L: Johnson,Laney (5-4)
Batting:
2B: Madrey, KK 1 ; Doerr, Paige 1
RBI: Roupe, Rachel 1 ; McManus, Brynn 1 ; Roberts, Brooke 1 ; Madrey, KK 2 ; Craine, Rachel 1 ; Jessee, Savannah 1 ; Whatley, Savanah 2
SF: Roberts, Brooke 1 ; Jessee, Savannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Woodard, Savannah 1 ; Roupe, Rachel 1 ; Madrey, KK 1 ; Doerr, Paige 1 ; Norris, Aubry 1 ; Jessee, Savannah 1 ; Heidorn, Lilly 1 ; Whatley, Savanah 2
SB: Madrey, KK 1 ; Norris, Aubry 1 ; Heidorn, Lilly 1
Batting:
HR: Marchant,Reagan 1
RBI: Marchant,Reagan 2 ; Briley,Kb 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gilio,Alexis 1 ; Marchant,Reagan 1 ; Grealy,Kaylee 1
SB: Marchant,Reagan 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
4
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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INF
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