Liberty to Begin Title Defense as No. 3 Seed at CUSA Softball Championship, Wednesday
5/4/2026 5:06:00 PM | Softball
LYNCHBURG, Va. - Two-time defending CUSA champion Liberty (26-27, 18-9 CUSA) begins its quest for a third straight CUSA title, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Delaware Softball Diamond in Newark, Del. The Lady Flames, serving as the No. 3 seed in the 2026 CUSA Softball Championship, will face the winner of Wednesday's 2:30 p.m. game between No. 6 seed FIU and No. 7 seed LA Tech.
Championship Coverage
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Championship Coverage
- CUSA Softball Championship (Delaware Softball Diamond - Newark, Del.)
- May 6-9
- TV: ESPN+Â (CBS Sports - Championship)
- Radio: LFSN Online Audio
- Live Stats: StatBroadcast
- Championship Central
- Liberty has made five straight NCAA Regional appearances, highlighted by last year's run to its first-ever Super Regional during which it became the first team in the Super Regional era (since 2005) to eliminate the national No. 1 seed from its Regional. The Lady Flames knocked off No. 1 seed Texas A&M twice at the 2025 NCAA Bryan-College Station Regional to claim their first-ever Regional title.
- The Lady Flames had an at-large berth in 2023, sandwiched between back-to-back ASUN (2021-22) and CUSA (2024-25) titles. Liberty is looking for its first-ever three-peat in softball and team become the first CUSA softball team since DePaul (2002-05) to win three straight conference tournament titles.
- Liberty has won seven conference tournament titles, including three in the Big South (2002, 2011, 2018), two in the Atlantic Sun (2021-22) and two in CUSA (2024-25).
- The Lady Flames tied a program record for runs scored in a three-game series in a regular-season-ending sweep at Kennesaw State this past weekend. Liberty outscored the Owls 32-5 and outhitting them .413-.116. On Friday, the Lady Flames scored 11 runs in the second inning of a 14-0, five-inning with at KSU in which freshman Abigail Findlay tossed a one-hit shutout.
- Wednesday will mark Liberty's first softball game in Delaware, home state of current Lady Flame Kaylan Yoder and 2025 graduated third baseman Rachel Craine, among other Liberty softball alumnae. In 2024, Liberty claimed its first CUSA title while playing in New Mexico for the first time in program history.
- Alexia Carrasquillo (.339) leads the Lady Flames in both homers (11) and RBI (44). Freshman Dani Lee bats .373 with seven doubles, four homers and 19 RBI. Ella Fox (.293) is the team leader in runs (35) and stolen bases (10). Savannah Jessee (.292) has registered eight homers and 30 RBI, while two-time CUSA Player of the Week Brynn McManus (.292) has posted nine homers and 37 RBI. Two-time CUSA Freshman of the Week Maci Strickland hits .291 with three homers and 21 RBI.
- The Liberty pitching staff has recorded six shutouts this season, with five coming in conference play. Camden Anders (12-6, 3.03 ERA) went 9-3 with a 2.26 ERA in CUSA games. Abigail Findlay (5-2, 3.80) is 3-1 in Liberty's last 10 games, including a win over No. 13 Virginia Tech on April 22 and a one-hitter at Kennesaw State, Friday. Danner Allen (6-3, 5.79) has posted two shutouts, including a no-hitter at Missouri State, April 3. Gabby Mike (2-10, 4.09) struck out a career-high seven batters, April 2 at Missouri State. Two-time CUSA All-Conference pitcher Kaylan Yoder (0-3, 6.53) has returned to the circle, making two appearances to the tune of a 0.00 ERA over Liberty's last 10 games.
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