Lady Flames Softball Defeats UTEP During Weekend Series March 28-29
The Lady Flames Softball team hosted the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) over the weekend, defeating them in a three-game series March 28-29 at Kamphuis Field.
To begin the series, the Lady Flames dominated the Lady Miners 10-2, playing only five innings. Liberty racked up points early in the first inning, scoring five runs. Senior infielder Brooke Roberts hit a single up the middle, allowing senior outfielder Rachel Roupe and redshirt senior infielder Savannah Woodard to make it home. The Lady Flames followed with a triple by senior outfielder KK Madrey that added two more on the board. Sophomore outfielder Paige Doerr singled to center field to allow Madrey to make it home, ending the inning 5-0.
UTEP gained its two runs in the fourth inning, but not long after Roupe shut them down with a two-RBI home run in the fourth inning.
Senior right-handed pitcher Elena Escobar took the win in the circle for the Lady Flames. Escobar allowed five hits, two earned runs, four walks and seven strikeouts.
With a schedule change due to weather, the Lady Flames faced the Lady Miners in a doubleheader March 29 at 3 p.m.
Game one saw a slow start, going into the fifth inning scoreless until Woodard singled, allowing pinch runner junior utility Aubry Norris to score. In the sixth inning, the Lady Flames secured their win as Doerr hit a sacrifice fly. Doerr went 2-2 that game.
In the circle for game two against UTEP, sophomore pitcher Kaylan Yoder took the victory for the Lady Flames as Liberty won 2-1.
Yoder allowed two hits, one earned run, two walks and four strikeouts. The only UTEP run scored was a home run in the seventh.
Finishing the series in the final game, senior pitcher Paige Bachman took the win from the mound. Bachman allowed four hits, one earned run, one walk and 10 strikeouts.
In the first inning, Bachman went three up, three down striking out each batter. UTEP made it on the board in the second inning with a single followed by a double hit to right center field.
In the top of the third inning, Bachman had a ground ball hit directly back at her, bouncing up and hitting her in the head. Overcoming adversity, Bachman remained on the mound and struck the next batter for UTEP out, ending the inning leaving two runners stranded.
“The whole time I kept telling myself, ‘Take no pitches off. Go right at her,’” Bachman said. “… So I told myself, ‘Throw hard. Go right at her.’ And I did, and she struck out.”
In the bottom of the fourth, Roupe sent a line drive over the left center field fence tying the game 1-1 for Liberty.
“Once Roupe hit that home run, it just ignited everybody to the point where we realized it’s a new ball game and let’s keep moving,” Head Coach Dot Richardson said. “There have been a number of games this year we’ve been behind and come back.”
Madrey started the fifth inning off with a double hit to left field. Madrey batted 2-3 with a double and two RBI’s. After an error by UTEP, both Doerr and Madrey made it to the home plate.
Entering the sixth inning, the score was 3-1 in favor of the Lady Flames. With a double play to begin the inning, Bachman threw to sophomore shortstop JaMaya Byrum who passed it to Roberts at first base to get the out.
After a collection of hits, scoring seven runs, Roupe stepped up to the plate. With two runners on and only needing one more run to end the game, Roupe sent a deep fly ball over the left field fence. The stands went wild as Roupe walked off the game for the Lady Flames.
“The nice thing is all we needed was one run,” Richardson said. “So a base hit would have been great, but boy, she (Roupe) put the cherry on top.”
The No. 24 ranked Lady Flames will travel to Tech Softball Park to face the No. 12 ranked Virginia Tech Lady Hokies April 2 at 6 p.m.
“I just know what we’re going to do is be able to play our game,” Richardson said. “We’ll see how the outcome will be.”
Youngworth is a sports reporter for the Liberty Champion.