Tuesday, March 31
Lynchburg, Va.
6:00 PM ET
Liberty University
16-18
6
vs
11
North Carolina
25-9
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
North Carolina
3
1
2
0
3
0
2
11
9
0
Liberty
0
2
0
0
0
0
4
6
11
2
UNC Holds Off Liberty in 11-6 Slugfest
3/31/2026 9:42:00 PM | Softball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty and North Carolina connect3ed for three home runs apiece, with the Tar Heels prevailing in an 11-6 slugfest, Tuesday at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
The Tar Heels improve to 25-9 on the season with the win, while the Lady Flames fall to 16-18.
UNC 11, Liberty 6
Scoring Summary
UNC – 1st INNING – Barbee homers to left, Roberts and Thompson score, 3-0
UNC – 2nd INNING – Thompson doubles to right center, Horton scores, 4-0
Liberty – 2nd INNING – Lee homers to left center, Carrasquillo scores, 4-2
UNC – 3rd INNING – Eaton sacrifice fly to right, Barbee advances, LeGette scores, 5-2
UNC – 3rd INNING – Jennings singles to left, Tarpey advances, Barbee scores, 6-2
UNC – 5th INNING – Blackwell doubles to right center, Wilson scores, 7-2
UNC – 5th INNING – Thompson homers to right center, Blackwell scores, 9-2
UNC – 7th INNING – Blackwell homers to left field, Jennings scores, 11-2
Liberty – 7th INNING – Carrasquillo homers to right center, McManus scores, 11-4
Liberty – 7th INNING – Doerr homers to right, Strickland scores, 11-6
Turning Point
The Lady Flames head to Springfield, Mo., for a three-game series at CUSA newcomer Missouri State, Thursday through Saturday.
The Tar Heels improve to 25-9 on the season with the win, while the Lady Flames fall to 16-18.
UNC 11, Liberty 6
Scoring Summary
UNC – 1st INNING – Barbee homers to left, Roberts and Thompson score, 3-0
UNC – 2nd INNING – Thompson doubles to right center, Horton scores, 4-0
Liberty – 2nd INNING – Lee homers to left center, Carrasquillo scores, 4-2
UNC – 3rd INNING – Eaton sacrifice fly to right, Barbee advances, LeGette scores, 5-2
UNC – 3rd INNING – Jennings singles to left, Tarpey advances, Barbee scores, 6-2
UNC – 5th INNING – Blackwell doubles to right center, Wilson scores, 7-2
UNC – 5th INNING – Thompson homers to right center, Blackwell scores, 9-2
UNC – 7th INNING – Blackwell homers to left field, Jennings scores, 11-2
Liberty – 7th INNING – Carrasquillo homers to right center, McManus scores, 11-4
Liberty – 7th INNING – Doerr homers to right, Strickland scores, 11-6
Turning Point
- Trailing 9-2, Liberty was unable to capitalize on bases-loaded situations in both the fifth and sixth innings.
- UNC made it 11-2 with a seventh-inning two-run homer by Rayna Blackwell.
- The Lady Flames connected for a pair of two-run homers off of Tar Heel reliever Kendall Frost in the seventh, narrowing the gap to 11-6 as Alexia Carrasquillo and Paige Doerr both went deep. Frost then got Brooke Roberts to hit a game-ending popout.
- Liberty outhit UNC 11-9 for the game, with the Lady Flames committing two errors. The hosts left eight runners on base, while the visitors stranded six.
- Carly Maxton (9-3) earned the win, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking three and striking out three in 5 2/3 innings pitched. Kendall Frost gave up four runs on four hits in 1 1/3 innings.
- Liberty starter Camden Anders (8-3) drew the loss, yielding five runs on three hits, walking two and fanning one in two innings of work. Danner Allen (2 2/3 innings) and Gabby Mike (2 1/3 IP) both pitched in relief.
- Sanaa Thompson (2-for-3), Shelby Barbee (2-for-4) and Rayna Blackwell (2-for-4) all recorded a double, homer, three RBI and two runs scored.
- Playing against her former team, Ella Fox batted 3-for-4 for her first career three-hit game. Dani Lee went 2-for-4 with a homer, two RBI and one run scored, while Paige Doerr batted 2-for-3 with a homer, two RBI and one run. Brynn McManus batted 2-for-3, while Alexia Carrasquillo went 1-for-3 with her team-leading eighth homer of the season, two RBI and two runs scored.
- North Carolina leads the all-time series against Liberty in softball, 15-4. The visiting team has won each of the last five meetings, dating to the 2022 season.
- Liberty went 10-6 during the month of March. After hitting just seven homers during February, the Lady Flames connected for 25 home runs during March.
- Lee has batted 9-for-18 during the season.
- North Carolina received votes in this week's NFCA national poll.
- Gabby Mike struck out all three batters she faced in the sixth inning, becoming the first Lady Flame this season to toss a 1-2-3, three-strikeout inning.
The Lady Flames head to Springfield, Mo., for a three-game series at CUSA newcomer Missouri State, Thursday through Saturday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carly Maxton (9-3)
L: Anders, Camden (8-3)
Batting:
2B: Sanaa Thompson 1 ; Shelby Barbee 1 ; Rayna Blackwell 1
HR: Sanaa Thompson 1 ; Shelby Barbee 1 ; Rayna Blackwell 1
RBI: Sanaa Thompson 3 ; Shelby Barbee 3 ; MC Eaton 1 ; Raegan Jennings 1 ; Rayna Blackwell 3
SF: MC Eaton 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sanaa Thompson 2 ; Lexie Roberts 1 ; Emily LeGette 1 ; Shelby Barbee 2 ; Sahara Wilson 1 ; Raegan Jennings 1 ; Rayna Blackwell 2 ; Sydney Horton 1
HBP: Sanaa Thompson 1
Batting:
HR: Carrasquillo, Alexia 1 ; Lee, Dani 1 ; Doerr, Paige 1
RBI: Carrasquillo, Alexia 2 ; Lee, Dani 2 ; Doerr, Paige 2
SH: Doerr, Paige 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McManus, Brynn 1 ; Carrasquillo, Alexia 2 ; Lee, Dani 1 ; Strickland, Maci 1 ; Doerr, Paige 1
HBP: McManus, Brynn 1 ; Whatley, Savanah 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P/UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballRewriting History: "A program-defining moment that we’ll never forget”
Wednesday, March 25
Step Into My Office: Dot Richardson
Monday, January 26
Paige Doerr Talks About The Upcoming Softball Season
Friday, January 23
Liberty Softball: The Greatest Victory
Thursday, December 11