Liberty Set to Face Marist in NCAA College Station Regional Opener
5/14/2025 3:16:00 PM | Softball
Liberty (47-12) will open competition at the 2025 NCAA Division I Softball Championship on Friday, playing in the College Station Regional against Marist (47-7-1) on Friday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The No. 1 national seed, Texas A&M (45-9), will host the four-team regional, Friday through Sunday, at Davis Diamond. In the other side of the bracket, No. 1 seed Texas A&M will face Saint Francis (Pa.) (26-24), Friday at 3:30 p.m.
NCAA College Station Regional Schedule
Davis Diamond
Friday, May 16 (All times Eastern)
Game 1: Liberty vs. Marist – 1 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Texas A&M vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) – 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 2 p.m.
Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 4:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner – 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 18
Game 6: Regional Final – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 winner – 4 p.m.
Game 7: * if necessary – Rematch of Game 6 – 6:30 p.m.
Quick Hits
• The Lady Flames topped Jax State 8-0 in five innings in the CUSA Softball Championship title game, becoming the first team since East Carolina (2010-11) to win back-to-back CUSA Softball Championship titles. Liberty had to bounce back from an earlier loss to Jax State, defeating Louisiana Tech 2-1 on a 10th-inning walk-off single by Paige Doerr to make it back to the title game.
• Liberty features this year's CUSA Player of the Year (Rachel Roupe), Pitcher of the Year (Elena Escobar), Newcomer of the Year (Savanah Whatley) and Coach of the Year (Dot Richardson).
• The Lady Flames' first opponent, Marist, brings a 17-game winning streak into the postseason and is second in the nation with 103 homers, led by MAAC Player of the Year Miah McDonald with 24.
• Liberty has won all four meetings against Marist, with the last meeting coming in the 2011 season. Liberty is 3-5 against Saint Francis (Pa.) and 1-3 against Texas A&M, including 1-1 at Davis Diamond in 2019.
• Seven out of Liberty's nine regular starters bat .300 or better. KK Madrey hits .406 with a CUSA-leading 48 stolen bases. Rachel Roupe (.382) leads the CUSA with 18 doubles, 20 homers and 64 RBI. Oregon State transfers Paige Doerr (.360) and Savanah Whatley (.354) provide offensive punch. Savannah Woodard (.340, 9 HR, 42 RBI) has thrived in the leadoff spot. Brynn McManus (.330, 14 2B, 8 HR, 41 RBI) provides a power bat, while catcher Savannah Jessee bats .325 with two homers and 25 RBI.
• 2025 CUSA Tournament MVP Elena Escobar is 22-3 with a 1.83 ERA overall and seven shutouts, including 3-0 with a 0.33 ERA and two shutouts in the conference tournament. Escobar logged 341 pitches over the three-day tournament. Kaylan Yoder (9-5, 2.56) leads CUSA in opponents batting average overall (.197). Yoder and Paige Bachman (11-3, 2.67) were both named to the All-CUSA second team.
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NCAA College Station Regional Schedule
Davis Diamond
Friday, May 16 (All times Eastern)
Game 1: Liberty vs. Marist – 1 p.m.
Game 2: No. 1 Texas A&M vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) – 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17
Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner – 2 p.m.
Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser – 4:30 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner – 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 18
Game 6: Regional Final – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 winner – 4 p.m.
Game 7: * if necessary – Rematch of Game 6 – 6:30 p.m.
Quick Hits
• The Lady Flames topped Jax State 8-0 in five innings in the CUSA Softball Championship title game, becoming the first team since East Carolina (2010-11) to win back-to-back CUSA Softball Championship titles. Liberty had to bounce back from an earlier loss to Jax State, defeating Louisiana Tech 2-1 on a 10th-inning walk-off single by Paige Doerr to make it back to the title game.
• Liberty features this year's CUSA Player of the Year (Rachel Roupe), Pitcher of the Year (Elena Escobar), Newcomer of the Year (Savanah Whatley) and Coach of the Year (Dot Richardson).
• The Lady Flames' first opponent, Marist, brings a 17-game winning streak into the postseason and is second in the nation with 103 homers, led by MAAC Player of the Year Miah McDonald with 24.
• Liberty has won all four meetings against Marist, with the last meeting coming in the 2011 season. Liberty is 3-5 against Saint Francis (Pa.) and 1-3 against Texas A&M, including 1-1 at Davis Diamond in 2019.
• Seven out of Liberty's nine regular starters bat .300 or better. KK Madrey hits .406 with a CUSA-leading 48 stolen bases. Rachel Roupe (.382) leads the CUSA with 18 doubles, 20 homers and 64 RBI. Oregon State transfers Paige Doerr (.360) and Savanah Whatley (.354) provide offensive punch. Savannah Woodard (.340, 9 HR, 42 RBI) has thrived in the leadoff spot. Brynn McManus (.330, 14 2B, 8 HR, 41 RBI) provides a power bat, while catcher Savannah Jessee bats .325 with two homers and 25 RBI.
• 2025 CUSA Tournament MVP Elena Escobar is 22-3 with a 1.83 ERA overall and seven shutouts, including 3-0 with a 0.33 ERA and two shutouts in the conference tournament. Escobar logged 341 pitches over the three-day tournament. Kaylan Yoder (9-5, 2.56) leads CUSA in opponents batting average overall (.197). Yoder and Paige Bachman (11-3, 2.67) were both named to the All-CUSA second team.
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